THE BBC drama The Pact has returned for its second series, and viewers from Penarth will have noticed a few familiar locations.

The series, written and created by Pete McTighe, follows social worker Christine and her grieving family, who have their lives turned upside down after being contacted by a stranger claiming to be connected to them.

It returned to BBC One on Monday, with the six-episode series airing weekly – although if you can’t wait that long, the complete series one and two are on iPlayer.

The first series was filmed in locations including Usk and Monmouth, and series two was filmed in Penarth and Barry.

Viewers may have recognised Penarth Pier on screen, while scenes for Will and Samantha's house were filmed in Marine Drive in Barry.

Rakie Ayola, who stars as Christine, told WhatToWatch.com: “I grew up in Ely, which is West Cardiff, and when I was a kid, we would go to Barry Island a lot, but we never made it down to Penarth, which is just a few miles further down the road. 

“We filmed a lot of this in Penarth and Penarth Pier, which is lovely and I never knew it existed.

“Working there was a real eye-opener for me and it filled me with joy, but also sadness, because I realised it could have been my childhood.

“I don’t know why my parents didn’t take us there more when we were kids.”

Speaking about the series, Mr McTighe said: “Growing up, I was heavily influenced by female ensemble dramas like Widows, Tenko and She’s Out, and I’ve always gravitated towards writing complex female-led drama series.

“After finishing a prison drama that ran for eight years, I was craving something different - something just as characterful and surprising, but less claustrophobic and with its own strong identity.

“And ever since I moved to Wales, I’d been eager to write a world-class drama set here, taking advantage of our epic locations and incredible talent both on-screen and behind the camera. 

“The Pact is the fusion of those intentions.”

The project has received support from Welsh Government via Creative Wales and Wales Screen.

When commissioning the second series, Gerwyn Evans, deputy director of Creative Wales said: “I’m delighted that Creative Wales is able to support the second series of this popular BBC thriller.

“Cardiff-based Little Door is filming in and around Wales once again, showcasing our nation as the ideal location to shoot.”