Actress Katherine Kelly will star in the second series of Liar which will be partly filmed in Deal.

ITV has announced the new cast member who will play DI Renton, alongside Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd for what producers have hailed the final chapter of the gripping drama.

The actress who made her name as Becky McDonald in Coronation Street has since gone to star in Mr Selfridge, The Night Manager and most recently Cheat.

Writers Harry and Jack Williams, who also masterminded The Missing, said: “It has been a joy returning to Liar and our reunion with Joanne and Ioan.

"Equally we are thrilled to have Katherine Kelly on board as DI Renton after her stellar performance in Cheat.”

Other new characters include Howard Charles who has starred in The Widow and Musketeers as Carl Peterson and Amy Nuttall from Downton Abbey and My Fair Lady as Winnie Peterson.

A huge 9.1m viewers were left reeling at the discovery of Andrew Earlham’s murdered body at the climax of the first series, which aired in autumn of 2017.

It was ITV’s highest rated new drama of the year.

The first episodes had been filmed in Deal and Kingsdown during November 2016 and January 2017, with the town featuring in all six episodes.

Production teams had taken over two houses in the town during shooting, one towards the north end of The Marina, which is the home of Laura Nielson played by Froggatt and the other in Wellington Parade in Kingsdown, the home of her sister.

The town’s pier featured as a prominent backdrop, with other scenes capturing Jasin’s Restaurant now Deal Pier Kitchen, Deal Beach Parlour and the Hope & Lane cafe in the High Street opposite St George’s Church.

Producers, on the day after the final episode, confirmed they would return to Deal to film a second series, with camera crews spotted in north Deal in December last year.

It is thought more filming will take place in the town over the coming months.

The second series will also be six hour-long episodes, picking up three weeks after an arrest warrant was issued for Andrew Earlham for the sexual assault of 19 women.

When Andrew’s body is found in the Kent marshes, Detective Renton, played by Kelly alongside DS Rory Maxwell are tasked with uncovering clues about Andrew’s past and unpacking the events of the three crucial weeks leading up to his murder.

The series has been commissioned for ITV by Head of Drama, Polly Hill.

She said: “We’re delighted both Joanne and Ioan are returning to Liar as Laura and Andrew with Katherine Kelly joining the cast as DI Karen Renton.

"We’re sure audiences will once again be gripped by the story as Harry and Jack Williams keep you guessing over who killed Andrew."

Liar is a co-production of Two Brothers Pictures for ITV and SundanceTV in association with all3media international.