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Patrick Baladi joins Parminder Nagra on the cast of ITV thriller DI Ray 2

ITV has announced that the team has commenced filming season 2.

Patrick Baladi joins Parminder Nagra on the cast of ITV thriller DI Ray 2

Actor Patrick Baladi, who is best known for playing Neil Godwin in the BBC sitcom The Office, Michael Jackson in the Sky 1 drama Stella and Stephen Holmes in the ITV thriller Marcella, has joined Parminder Nagra on the cast of the second season of her hit crime drama, DI Ray.

Baladi has been roped in to play DI Patrick Holden, a detective who becomes involved in the title character’s latest harrowing case. It is an investigation that will once again see Leicester -born Rachita tackle a culturally sensitive crime in Birmingham, with racial tensions hitting new highs.


ITV has announced that the team has commenced filming season 2.

In the new season, Nagra will once again be joined by Gemma Whelan as DCI Kerry Henderson, Ian Puleston-Davies as Superintendent Ross Beardsmore, Steve Oram as DS Clive Bottomley, Peter Bankole as DS Kwesi Edmund, and Sam Baker-Jones as DC Liam Payne. In addition to Baladi, new cast members include Our House's Dinita Gohil, Witney White (Father Brown), Michael Socha (Chernobyl), Syreeta Kumar (Apple Tree Yard), Lauren Drummond (Holby City), and Taha Rahim.

Talking about DI Ray 2, Nagra had earlier said: "So thrilled to be back to start work on DI Ray 2. We have an amazing team helming it this season for what looks to be an exciting season."

DI Ray is a production of Jed Mercurio's HTM Television, which is written and created by Line of Duty alum Maya Sondhi, who viewers will remember for her compelling turn as Maneet Bindra in the BBC One thriller.

Sondhi said: "I am excited to bring DI Ray back to our screens for a second series that promises to go deeper, darker, and [be] more explosive than the last.”

Stay tuned to this space for more updates!

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Last year, something shifted in what the world watched. Global viewership of Southeast Asian content on Netflix grew by nearly 50%, and this isn't just a corporate milestone; it’s a signal. Stories from Jakarta, Bangkok, and Manila are no longer regional curiosities. They are now part of the global mainstream.

The numbers tell a clear story. Over 100 Southeast Asian titles have now entered Netflix’s Global Top 10 lists. More than 40 of those broke through in 2024 alone. This surge is part of a bigger boom in the region’s own backyard. The total premium video-on-demand market in Southeast Asia saw viewership hit 440 billion minutes in 2024, with revenues up 14% to £1.44 billion (₹15,300 crore). Netflix commands over half of that viewership and 42% of the revenue. They have a clear lead, but the entire market is rising.

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