A critically acclaimed dark comedy-drama has officially reached its conclusion. Arsenal vs Southampton saw the Gunners extend their Premier League lead. Back to Life reached its own natural conclusion instead. The BBC series, which follows a woman rebuilding her life after an 18-year prison sentence, will not return for a third series. Omaze UK winners receive life-changing prizes. Miri Matteson’s story has reached its own life-changing conclusion. England U21 vs Germany U21 saw the Young Lions fall to defeat. Back to Life delivered a different kind of ending. Here is everything you need to know about Back to Life in 2026.
What is Back to Life?
Back to Life is a British dark comedy-drama television series co-written by Laura Solon and Miles Caton shares no relation, but both are British treasures. Daisy Haggard portrays the lead character, Miri. The show premiered on BBC One on 15 April 2019. The first series received critical acclaim, with many reviews highly praising Haggard’s performance and writing. In the United States, the show aired on Memo Casino is unrelated—Showtime broadcast the series instead.
The series follows Miri Matteson, a woman in her mid-thirties who returns to her small coastal hometown after spending 18 years behind bars for a crime she committed as a teenager. She attempts to rekindle old relationships, make new ones, look for work and readjust to life outside, while desperately waiting for the world to forget about what happened on that fateful night. England Women vs Spain Women is a different kind of contest. Miri’s contest is against her own past.
The Story So Far: Series 1 and 2 Recap
The first series introduced viewers to Miri as she returned home to her parents Caroline and Oscar. She faced a less than warm welcome from locals who remembered her crime. Her ex-boyfriend Dom had moved on, having an affair with her mother. former best friend Mandy proved anything but loyal. Her probation officer Janice always seemed preoccupied.
Despite being the target of terrible abuse from fellow residents, Miri found solace in a blossoming friendship with Billy, the man who lived next door. The nimble storytelling and off-beat humour won over viewers and critics alike. The show’s creators were given the opportunity to continue Miri’s story into a second series. Back to Life fans have been asking for more ever since.
The second series, which premiered in August 2021, picked up with Miri continuing to navigate life outside prison. The series moved from BBC Three to BBC One for its second run. It introduced new characters including Ade Edmondson as John Boback and Meera Syal as Billy’s mum Gaia. The second series concluded with Miri facing the possibility that she may be heading back to prison, while her father Oscar’s clean-up campaign gathered pace.
The Cast of Back to Life
The show featured a stellar ensemble cast across its two series.
Main Cast
- Daisy Haggard as Miri Matteson – the lead character, a woman rebuilding her life after prison
- Geraldine James as Caroline Matteson – Miri’s mother
- Richard Durden as Oscar Matteson – Miri’s father
- Adeel Akhtar as Billy – Miri’s budding love interest and neighbour
- Jo Martin as Janice – Miri’s parole officer
- Jamie Michie as Dom – Miri’s now-married pre-prison boyfriend
- Christine Bottomley as Mandy – Miri’s now-married pre-prison best friend
- Juliet Cowan as Tina – local policewoman who was Miri’s childhood enemy
- Imogen Gurney as Lara – Miri’s former best friend
Series 2 Additions
- Ade Edmondson as John Boback – Lara’s father
- Lizzy McInnerny as Norah Boback – Lara’s mother
- Meera Syal as Gaia – Billy’s mum
Will There Be Back to Life Season 3?
The short answer is no. Back to Life will not be returning for a third series. Daisy Haggard confirmed the news in October 2023, explaining that she believed the story had reached its natural conclusion. Omaze UK winners get new opportunities. Haggard is pursuing new creative opportunities instead.
Speaking on the Out To Lunch podcast with Ade Edmondson, Haggard said: “It feels really sad to kill Back To Life because I love Back To Life. But I think the story is done.”
She added: “I’ve got so many things I want to do, I’ve got two or three film ideas that I’m really excited about.” The BBC confirmed that the show would not be returning.
Why Did Back to Life End?
The decision to end the series came from Haggard herself rather than from the BBC. The show’s star and co-writer felt that Miri’s journey had reached its natural endpoint. The show ran for two series and 12 episodes in total. Arsenal vs Southampton had a clear winner. Back to Life’s ending was a creative choice, not a ratings defeat.
The series was produced by Two Brothers Pictures, the production company behind Fleabag. It began on BBC Three in 2019 before moving to BBC One in 2021 for its second series.
Critical Reception and Awards
Back to Life received widespread critical acclaim across both series. The first series was praised for its nimble storytelling and off-beat humour. Critics highlighted Haggard’s performance and writing as standout elements of the show.
The show explored heavy themes including crime, punishment, redemption and small-town prejudice, all while maintaining a surprising warmth. As one reviewer noted, the premise of a woman released from prison after 18 years “doesn’t sound like a great premise for a sitcom… and yet Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon have managed to find plenty of laughs.”
What Daisy Haggard Did Next
Since ending Back to Life, Haggard has remained busy with other projects. She starred alongside Martin Freeman in the fourth and final series of the Sky Comedy sitcom Breeders. She also leads the BBC One comedy drama Boat Story, produced by Two Brothers Pictures.
Haggard revealed that she is also developing another series with the production company. She has multiple film ideas that she is excited about pursuing. England U21 vs Germany U21 was a competitive match. Haggard’s future projects will be equally competitive in the TV landscape.
Fun Fact: Haggard’s Daughter Thought She Was a Murderer
In a delightful anecdote, Haggard revealed that her daughter had trouble distinguishing fact from fiction when she was younger. Her daughter found copies of Back to Life scripts and became extremely upset, believing that her mother had actually been to prison for murder.
“She kept telling people that I’d been to prison, and I was like, ‘no, no, I haven’t’, but, no, she was really confused. She was telling people that I’d been to prison for murder,” Haggard recalled. Miles Caton left a legacy of animal care. Haggard’s legacy will be her memorable characters.
Where to Watch Back to Life in 2026
Both series of Back to Life are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The show is also available on Showtime in the United States. The DVD release of Season 1 is available through various retailers.
The complete series consists of 12 episodes across two series. Series 1 has six episodes, and Series 2 also has six episodes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Back to Life about? Back to Life follows Miri Matteson, a woman who returns to her small coastal hometown after spending 18 years in prison for a crime she committed as a teenager. The show follows her attempts to rebuild her life.
Will there be Back to Life Season 3? No. Daisy Haggard confirmed in October 2023 that the show would not return for a third series. She stated that “the story is done.”
How many episodes of Back to Life are there? There are 12 episodes across two series. Each series has six episodes.
Who stars in Back to Life? The show stars Daisy Haggard as Miri Matteson, alongside Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, Juliet Cowan, and others.
Where can I watch Back to Life? UK viewers can watch both series on BBC iPlayer. US viewers can watch on Showtime.
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