Martin Compston is reportedly set to return for a third series of ITV thriller Red Eye, following strong performance on streaming platform ITVX. The show, which stars the 41-year-old Line of Duty actor, launched on New Year's Day opposite the BBC's high-profile return of The Night Manager.
Despite the challenging broadcast slot, industry figures indicate the programme performed well, bolstered by significant streaming numbers. A TV insider told The Sun: 'The drama launched on New Year's Day and went up against one of the most hyped shows of 2026 so far, so it always faced a challenge. But it met that challenge and also had the figures hugely boosted by viewers watching it on streaming service ITVX.'
ITV has yet to formally recommission the series or confirm casting, but a third instalment is now expected following positive audience response and viewing data. The insider added: 'So from fearing it might not return, it now looks like bringing Red Eye back is a bit of a no-brainer for ITV.'
The second series saw Compston play Clay Brody, head of security at the US Embassy in London during an attack. His character, a former SAS soldier, works alongside DS Hana Li, played by Jing Lusi, after initial friction to counter the threat.
The programme faced a difficult broadcast slot at 9pm on 1 January, directly opposite the long-awaited return of The Night Manager on BBC One, which drew a peak audience of just under four million viewers. In comparison, Red Eye attracted just under 1.5 million viewers for its overnight broadcast. However, the full series had been released on ITVX earlier the same day, a factor understood to have impacted traditional ratings while contributing to its overall performance across platforms.
