Doctor Foster fans, brace yourselves, because the BBC has finally made it official and confirmed a series 3 is coming. The hit thriller is returning to BBC One in 2026 for a final run.
After nine long years away, Suranne Jones is stepping back into the shoes of the formidable, wronged and never-to-be-underestimated Gemma Foster. The announcement comes hot on the heels of the Beeb confirming the return of Line of Duty for a seventh series, and it’s safe to say drama lovers are being well and truly spoiled.
The first two outings, which aired in 2015 and 2017, were massive talking points. Audiences were gripped by the explosive performances from Suranne, Bertie Carvel, Jodie Comer, Victoria Hamilton and Adam James. And now, at last, the story continues. Here’s everything we know so far about Doctor Foster series 3.
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Is there a series 3 of Doctor Foster on BBC One?
The BBC has confirmed that Doctor Foster will return for a third – and final – series. Creator and writer Mike Bartlett is back at the helm, with Suranne reprising her role as Dr Gemma Foster.
It’s been nine years since we last saw Gemma on our screens. And, ever since, viewers have been holding out hope for one more chapter. Now, that wish has been granted.
Speaking about the new series, Mike Bartlett said: “I always hoped that we’d get to tell the final part of Gemma’s story – which is about a woman seeking justice in an unfair world. That feels as relevant now as when Gemma first found a blonde hair on the scarf.
“It’s been a joy to team up once again with the […] now very grown-up and brilliant Tom Taylor, the inimitable Bertie Carvel and of course, the incomparable Suranne Jones, to tell the final chapter of this story and revisit Parminster – where it turns out there’s still secrets, betrayals, vengeance and perhaps one last dinner party…”
What the plot?
When we first met GP Gemma Foster, she appeared to have the perfect life – successful career, beautiful home, devoted husband. That illusion shattered when she discovered Simon was having an affair – and that his mistress was pregnant.
What followed was a fierce, calculated unravelling, as Gemma channelled heartbreak into revenge against Simon, played by Bertie Carvel.
Series 2 jumped forward a few years. Simon was living with his new wife Kate, played by Jodie Comer, but peace was short-lived. The series ended dramatically with Gemma and Simon’s teenage son Tom, played by Tom Taylor, running away from the chaos created by his parents’ relentless war.
According to the synopsis for series 3: “Ten years ago, on discovering her husband Simon was having an affair, Gemma Foster enacted a masterful revenge. But the fallout was devastating when her 15-year-old son Tom disappeared. Now, in series three, Gemma is still a GP, still in the same house, but on the brink of a fresh start…
“She has met someone new and is getting married. But as the wedding day draws closer, and friends and family gather, shadows from the past begin to re-emerge threatening both her happiness and her reputation. As Gemma fights to protect those she loves and expose whoever’s intent on hurting her, will she be able to put the past to bed, dispense justice, and claim the future she deserves, before it is too late?”
How can I watch Doctor Foster?
If you need a refresher – or simply fancy reliving the drama – series 1 and 2 are both available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
The show first launched in 2015, with the second series arriving in 2017. Both runs had viewers hooked, endlessly debating just how far Gemma would go. At times, her quest for revenge became so intense that some even found themselves feeling a flicker of sympathy for Simon.
There was also a spin-off, Life, which aired in 2020. It followed Anna Baker, played by Victoria Hamilton – one of Gemma’s neighbours, who had her own unfaithful husband to contend with. In the spin-off, Anna had reinvented herself as Belle Stone.
Both previous series consisted of five episodes.
What cast will be returning in Doctor Foster series 3?
It wouldn’t be Doctor Foster without Suranne Jones, and she’s very much back at the centre of the storm. Opening up about her return, she said: “When I got the call asking if I wanted to return as Gemma Foster, I knew the time was right. We needed space from the first two series, and we needed Tom – Gemma and Simon’s runaway son – to return as an adult with questions.
“For me, this time around it’s about accountability and questioning. Can we ever truly sever ties with our past and the damage or traumas that haunt us, so we can fully move forward? Gemma and Simon have so much to unpick!”
Bertie Carvel will also reprise his role as Simon, with Tom Taylor returning as their son Tom – now an adult, coming back to the fractured family home.
The BBC has not confirmed whether Jodie Comer will return. Nor has the broadcaster revealed who will play Gemma’s new fiancé or the wider supporting cast.
How many episodes will it be?
Series 3 will follow the same format as the previous two series.
This will be five episodes, each running for 60 minutes.
When will it be released?
Filming is set to begin later this Spring, with the series expected to air towards the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
Production will once again take place in and around Hertfordshire.
Doctor Foster series 3 is a ‘thrilling, gripping, and audacious script’
Roanna Benn and Jude Liknaitzky, executive producers and co-CEOs for Drama Republic, said: “We are so excited to be bringing the finale of Doctor Foster to the screen.
“Mike Bartlett has written thrilling, gripping, audacious scripts that see Gemma and Simon re-encounter one another 10 years on and it is electrifying!!! We cannot wait to watch the phenomenal Suranne and Bertie together on screen once again. And to meet the grown-up Tom. It is honestly going to be an amazing ride!
“After nearly a decade away, Gemma Foster’s story is finally heading towards its conclusion. Old wounds will reopen and fresh secrets bubble to the surface. This last chapter promises all the tension, betrayal and razor-sharp drama that made Doctor Foster such a phenomenon in the first place.”