Series two of The Walsh Sisters in production

The BBC has reboarded comedy drama The Walsh Sisters for series two.

Stan is also set to return as the Australian home for the RTÉ show, which is based on the series of novels by Marian Keyes.

Produced by Cuba Pictures and Metropolitan Pictures, the six-part second series is based on the novel The Mystery of Mercy Close and Angels, with Stefanie Preissner continuing as creative lead and writer. The second series will once again follow the dysfunctional family of five sisters in their Dublin hometown.

The first series was RTÉ’s highest-rated drama of the past two years, when it aired in September last year. BBC1’s broadcast in February averaged 762,000 (9%) overnight viewers in the 9.15pm Saturday slot, rising to 1.3m (12.1%) after 28 days, according to Barb data from overnights.tv.

The returning cast includes Caroline Menton, Danielle Galligan, Máiréad Tyers, Preissner, Louisa Harland, Aidan Quinn and Carrie Crowley, while additions to cast include Peter Coonan (Bad Sisters), Aislín McGuckin (Normal People), Art Campion (How to Get to Heaven from Belfast) and Fay Ripley (Cold Feet).

The exec producers are Dixie Linder and Nick Marston for Cuba Pictures, David McLoughlin for Metropolitan Pictures, David Crean and Dermot Horan for RTÉ, Tom Misselbrook for Cineflix Rights, Preissner, Keyes and Tony Baines. Patrick O’Donoghue serves as producer.

RTÉ head of drama David Crean said: “Marian Keyes’ beloved characters were brilliantly brought to life by Stefanie Preissner and directed with real affection by Ian Fitzgibbon. The new scripts are fantastic, and we can’t wait for audiences to see season two of this great Irish drama.”

Linder added: “One of the great joys of making The Walsh Sisters has been seeing how deeply audiences have embraced these characters and their wonderfully messy lives. Marian Keyes created an extraordinary family, and Stefanie Preissner has brought them to the screen with warmth and wit.

“The new season allows us to explore even more of what makes the Walsh sisters so compelling as they each face new challenges, while never losing sight of the humour and fierce love at the heart of the family.”

Cineflix Rights will handle global distribution.