A HIT crime drama set in Lancashire is due to return for a third series.

ITV confirmed The Bay would return to our screens after drawing in millions of views for its second series.

The show is set in Morecambe Bay and filming on the new series is due to start in the next few months, ITV said.

The second series currently on air is averaging over 7.5m viewers across all devices based on consolidated figures to date.

On ITV Hub, The Bay Series 1 and Series 2 have earned 19.8m programme streams since December 18th December when first series was released on the catch-up service..

It has been announced that Marsha Thomason will join the cast as Morecambe CID’s new family liaison officer, DS Jenn Townsend, following Morven Christie’s decision to leave the show.

DS Townsend will be immediately thrown into the deep end when a body is found in the Bay on her first day in the job.

The successful drama is written by award-winning writer and playwright Daragh Carville, with Furquan Akhtar co-writing the third series.

It is due to begin filming in the spring.

ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill said: “We are delighted with the audiences’ response to The Bay and look forward to them meeting DS Jenn Townsend played by the fantastic Marsha Thomason, who joins the team in series 3.”

Executive Producer, Catherine Oldfield said: "Daragh and I couldn’t be more delighted by the audience response to The Bay.

"That ITV have recommissioned the show is fantastic and to get a talent as bright and brilliant as Marsha to lead the new series is beyond exciting.

"We can’t wait to get back to Morecambe to start filming again in that beautiful part of the world.”

Grange Lido is among the south Cumbria recognisable in the show. The show also made mention of Barrow as the place of work of a woman detectives are searching for.