FILMING for the second series of ITV’s Grace is underway on the streets of Brighton and Hove.

Film crews were pictured on New Road, Brighton, on Friday ahead of the much-anticipated return of the hit show.

Grace, an adaption of Sussex author Peter James’s international bestselling book Dead Simple, is one of ITV’s most successful dramas with more than eight million people tuning in to watch the first series.

A crew were spotted setting up cameras, sound equipment and lighting in Brighton city centre on Friday afternoon.

The series stars Life on Mars actor John Simm as the protagonist, fictional detective Roy Grace.

Series producer Kiaran Murray-Smith shared a photo on Twitter of the film crew gathered in a Brighton street.

He wrote: “#Grace2 finishes it's first week of shooting. Thanks to all involved for getting us this far! #keepingitlocal."

Peter also took to social media to share the news of its return and dropped a hint about a potential guest appearance.

The tweet said: “#ITVGrace has resumed filming. If you are out and about in #Brighton you might be lucky to spot the cast and crew in action! Also there will be a very exciting cameo in series 2... who could it be.”

The second series will be made up of three 120-minute films - Not Dead Enough, Dead Man’s Footsteps and Dead Tomorrow.

The first series of Grace was filmed in Brighton and Hove last year with city landmarks – including both piers and Hove’s beach huts – playing a starring role in the adaption.

Writer Russell Lewis said: "After the overwhelmingly positive audience response to the seaside noir of Dead Simple and Looking Good Dead ready to go, all at team Roy Grace are delighted to have been given the opportunity by ITV to return to Brighton (and Hove, actually!) to continue Roy's story with a new series of films based on Peter James best-selling novels.

"We’ll be shooting out of our Brighton HQ and all along and around the South Coast from late summer through to very late autumn.

He said that filming "may well be coming to a street near you" and told fans to keep their eyes peeled.