BBC announces two-part special of The Split: Barcelona starring Nicola Walker, coming this Christmas

The Defoe's are swapping briefcases for suitcases in this two-part special.

The Split: Barcelona sisters Nina (Annabel Scholey), Hannah (Nicola Walker) and Rose (Fiona Button) leaning on a brick wall, smiling, surrounded by trees.

by yours |
Updated on

It's official: Nicola Walker will return as formidable family lawyer Hannah Defoe in a two-part special of the BBC legal drama The Split.

Titled The Split: Barcelona, these one-off episodes are likely to be part of the channel's Christmas TV programming and will reunite us with some of our favourite characters as they attend a wedding in sun-drenched vineyards of Catalonia.

Hannah Stern (Nicola Walker) ©BBC

The Split: Barcelona release date

The BBC has said that filming for the TV drama finished in May. The Split: Barcelona will air on BBC One at 9 pm on the 29th and 30th December, or you can catch both episodes on BBC iPlayer from the 29th December.

The Split: Barcelona trailer

Here's a snippet of the trailer which gives you an idea of what to expect:

What will The Split: Barcelona be about?

Written by Abi Morgan (Eric, River, The Hour, This is Not a Pity Memoir book), the show picks up a couple of years after the events of series 3.

"Two years on from the third and final series, formidable family lawyer Hannah Defoe (Nicola Walker) and her family are back and have gathered for a beautiful wedding at a magnificent vineyard, nestled in Catalonia’s wine region." teases the BBC.

The Split: Barcelona Stephen Mangan as Nathan Stern, wearing a blue shirt, grey trousers and blazer, whilst holding a glass of Champagne and Nicola Walker as Hannah Stern, wearing a black wrap dress and holding a microphone.
Hannah Stern (Nicola Walker) and Nathan Stern (Stephen Mangan) ©BBC

It is directed by Giulia Gandini (Shetland) and produced by Jennie Fava (The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin).

The Split: Barcelona cast

Main characters and viewer favourites making a return include:

Nicola Walker (Unforgotten, Marriage, The Last Tango in Halifax) as Hannah Stern, a divorce lawyer and the eldest of the Defoe sisters.
Stephen Mangan (Green Wing, Hang Ups, Celebrity Gogglebox) as Nathan Stern, a barrister and Hannah's ex-husband.
Annabel Scholey (The Serial Killer's Wife, Dead & Buried) as Nina Defoe, the middle sister and a divorce lawyer.
Fiona Button (Truelove, Lip Service) as Rose, Hannah's younger sister, a widow and a part-time nanny.
Deborah Findlay (The Drowning, Coriolanus) as Ruth, the sisters' mother and director of the family firm.
Ian McElhinney (Derry Girls) as Prof Ronnie, Ruth's friend-turned-husband.
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Vicar Glen Peters, Rose's potential love interest.
Elizabeth Roberts (Father Ted) as Liv Stern, Hannah and Nathan's eldest daughter.
Alex Guersman (A Weekend in July, Return of the Goat II: New World Order) as Gael.

There are also some new cast members who will be joining The Split: Barcelona. These include:

Toby Stephens (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Black Sails) as Archie Moore
Manu Fullola as Alvaro, a glamorous host
Romina Cocca as Valentina, the other glamourous host

The Split: Barcelona Nicola Walker as Hannah Stern (wearing a black dress) and Toby Stephens (wearing a blue shirt and black blazer) as Archie Moore.
Hannah Stern (Nicola Walker) and (Toby Stephens) ©BBC

Where to watch The Split

We don't have long to wait, so why not re-watch The Split on BBC iPlayer to catch up on all of the drama, love and heartache?

Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.

Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us