ThesixnewepisodeswillseetheteamstillstrivingtobroadcastthestoriestheybelieveinastheygrapplewiththeloomingspectreoftheColdWarandchangingsocialmores. Theserieswillchartpoliticalintrigueandcorruptionagainstthehighlychargedbackdropofacountryinthegripofunsettlingandrapidchange.Withthespaceraceandnuclearpower,Britainseemsonthethresholdofaneweraofmodernisation,economicoptimism,scientificprogressandculturalchangeinthefaceofnewimmigrationfromtheCommonwealth.Butunderthebuoyantveneer,ourcharactersbecomedeeplyembroiledincover-ups,sexualintriguesandtheresurgenceofMosleysfascism. BelRowley(RomolaGarai)isstillsingleanddeterminednottogetinvolvedwithanothermarriedman.ClarenceisinprisonandshemustnowreporttoRandallBrown(PeterCapaldi)theeccentricnewHeadofNews.Whilstjugglingthesparkyrelationshipsaroundher,shefindsoutthatHectorisbeingluredtoITV.Shefightsforherprogrammeandfindsherselftakingonheradversary,BillKendall(TomBurke),aproducerwhosemagneticcharmshecanthelpbutfindirresistible. HectorMadden(DominicWest)hasrisentothestatusofanationalcelebrity,allwhilstmaintaininghislifestyleasahappilymarriedmanandfaceofTheHour.HeisunsettledbyMarnies(OonaChaplin)desiretoestablishherowncareerandfindshimselfdrawntothelatenightclubsofSohowherehebefriendsKiki(HannahTointon),aclubhostess.NolongerhappyatTheHourunderRandallsnewregime,heistemptedbyoffersfromITV,butwhenanightattheclubgoesbadlywrong,scandalthreatensandHectormusttrytostopanewsstorythatcoulddestroyhismarriageandhiscareer. FreddieLyons(BenWhishaw),whowasfiredafterTheLordElmsliveinterview,makesanunexpectedreturntoTheHour.Havingbeenawayforseveralmonthstravellingaroundtheworld,hereturnsasco-hostofTheHour,tobothBelandHectorssurprise.Hehashowevernotlosthispassiontoinvestigateandashebecomesembroiledwithexposingacover-up,itbecomesclearthattheghostsofthepastwillnotletFreddiego. Lix(AnnaChancellor)isstillheadinguptheforeigndesk,fightingforairtimeforinternationalstories,butanewsidetoherisrevealedwhenRandallarrivesatTheHour.Meanwhile,McCain(JulianRhind-Tutt)isnowHeadofPressforMacmillan,protectingtherecentlyelectedPrimeMinisterandtheclosedcircleofhiscabinet. TheHourwasre-commissionedbyJaniceHadlow,ControllerofBBCTwo,andBenStephenson,Controller,BBCDramaCommissioning.TheexecutiveproducersareJaneFeatherstone,DerekWaxandAbiMorganforKudosFilmandTelevisionandLucyRicherfortheBBC. TheproducerisRuthKenley-Letts(TheNativity)andthedirectorsareSandraGoldbacher(Ep1+2),CatherineMorshead(Ep3+4)andJamiePayne(Ep5+6).AbiMorganhaswrittenepisodes1,2,5+6andNicoleTaylorhaswrittenepisode3andGeorgeKayepisode4. TheHourisaKudos/BBCAmericaCo-production. FilmingstartedthisweekintheLondonareaforthreemonthsfortransmissionnextyear. SeriestwoofTheHourcontinuesBBCTwoscommitmenttooriginalBritishDramain2012.