Killing Eve to return for third series

Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer attend the series two Hollywood premiere of Killing Eve

The award-winning spy thriller Killing Eve - starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer - is set to return for a third series.

Season two debuted on BBC America this week, with critics praising its "twisted, darkly-comic notes".

The exact date for a UK premiere has yet to be revealed by the BBC but it has now announced a deal on the follow-up is already signed and sealed.

The BBC iPlayer has had more than 46 million requests for the first series.

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Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content, says: "It's fantastic news that there will be a third series of this award winning hit drama and we're delighted UK audiences will be able to see Killing Eve exclusively on the BBC.

"In the mean-time Villanelle and Eve will be returning to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for a second series soon."

Bafta nominated actress Fiona Shaw, pictured above with Oh, returns for series two

The show, based on the Codename Villanelle novellas by Luke Jennings, made its UK debut on BBC One and as a box set on BBC iPlayer last year.

It picks up 30 seconds after the end of series one, when MI5 officer Eve Polastri, played by Oh, stabbed Comer's charismatic assassin Villanelle.

Series three will be executive produced by Sally Woodward Gentle and Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who adapted the books for series one.