Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger Return For BBC’s ‘Strike’ Seventh Instalment, ‘The Running Grave’

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The BBC has unveiled the next chapter of ‘Strike‘, as Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger step back into the roles of Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott for ‘The Running Grave’. This seventh outing brings a new mystery drawn from J.K. Rowling’s latest novel under the Robert Galbraith pseudonym, and it promises one of the darkest investigations the pair have ever undertaken.

The long-running crime drama remains one of the BBC’s most popular series. The previous instalment, ‘The Ink Black Heart’, pulled in an impressive 7.1 million viewers across its 2024 run, proving Strike and Robin’s cases remain appointment viewing for fans of twisty whodunnits and character-driven crime stories.

Based on Rowling’s bestseller, ‘The Running Grave’ sees the detectives hired by Sir Colin and Sally Edensor, desperate parents who believe their estranged son has fallen under the grip of a secretive religious cult known as the Universal Humanitarian Church. Their mission is simple on paper but dangerous in practice. They want evidence that will discredit the organisation, expose its leaders and help reclaim their son. The church has drained his trust fund and, worse, his identity.

The supporting cast is packed with familiar British talent. Joining Burke and Grainger are James Fleet (I, Jack Wright, Bridgerton), Nichola McAuliffe (Living, The English), Keeley Forsyth (Poor Things, Happy Valley), Fabian McCallum (The Narrow Road to the Deep North, The Witcher), and John Lynch (Tin Star, Blue Lights). Returning fan favourites include Ruth Sheen (Unforgotten, It’s A Sin), Jack Greenlees (The Trial of Cristine Keeler, Payback), Tupele Dorgu (The Full Monty [TV series], Alma’s Not Normal), Natasha O’Keeffe (Peaky Blinders, The Wheel of Time), Sarah Sweeney (The Bastard Executioner, Cider with Rosie), Ben Crompton (Game of Thrones, Lockwood & Co), Stephen Hagan (You, Hope Street), and Caitlin Innes Edwards (Silo, Black Mirror: Smithereens).

This time, Robin undergoes one of her most intense assignments yet. She infiltrates the church’s secluded Norfolk base, Chapman Farm, where life revolves around the myth of the Drowned Prophet, Daiyu, believed by followers to be a divine reincarnation. Hidden abuses, strict control systems and psychological manipulation soon push Robin to her limits, leaving Strike piecing together clues from the outside while trying to keep her safe.

The season marks a return for director Sue Tully, who has previously helmed ‘Strike’ stories including ‘Troubled Blood’ and ‘The Ink Black Heart’. The scripts come from Tom Edge, who has adapted every instalment since ‘The Silkworm’. Executive producers J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts again oversee the production, with HBO retaining North American rights and Warner Bros. handling international distribution.

With a bestselling book behind it, a cult-centric mystery and Robin going deep undercover, ‘The Running Grave’ looks primed to deliver the blend of grounded detective work, character tension and creeping danger that keeps the series at the top of crime drama charts.

Previous seasons are available on BBC iPlayer and remain a strong reminder of how tightly crafted the Strike universe has become.

‘Strike‘ Season 7 does not yet have a premiere date but will air on BBC in the UK. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you will be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.