THE BBC is to make a second series of Bodyguard starring Richard Madden, according to reports.

The police thriller became the most watched programme of 2018, with 11 million people tuning in to see the final episode, and six million more watching on iPlayer.

Now, with creator Jed Mercurio having wrapped up Line of Duty's sixth series in May, work is set to begin on a second series of Bodyguard - as the Sun reports.

The timing works well, with Elderslie-born star Richard Madden, who plays protection officer Sgt David Budd, having recently finished filming Marvel film Eternals.

The Herald:

A TV insider told the Sun: “The drama is the most eagerly-anticipated in the world of TV and all the stars are finally aligning.

“Mercurio has always been too preoccupied with Line of Duty to apply himself to Bodyguard II, and after the show’s success, Madden was snapped up by Hollywood.

“Now with both men available, the creative process has kicked off and the BBC are thrilled it could materialise within the next two years.”

Mercurio has remained tight-lipped about a follow-up, and when asked recently he said: “I can exclusively reveal that there are no plans for me to answer that question.

“I learned a lot from the success of Bodyguard. It was heartening to see how an audience would come to something that is fresh and original. 

“Bodyguard was just an original concept and people hit the ground running with it. I would love to do something in the next couple of years.”

The BBC declined to comment to the Sun's reports.