Exclusive – Unforgotten creator is already discussing season 5 storylines with Sanjeev Bhaskar

Bhaskar will reprise his role as DI Sunny Khan in Unforgotten's next season, which will also mark a new chapter of the show's history following the death of DCI Cassie Stewart in season four.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Lang revealed that he and Bhaskar recently met up in person to discuss stories for the fifth season.

"We had a coffee the other day and we talked about some stories. And of course, you would always do that with your leading actor because you want them to sign up to what you're what you're creating and you don't want them to be unhappy about things," he said.

He clarified that although Bhaskar won't pen any of the storylines, his "unique perspective" on the backpack-toting Sunny is invaluable.

"That doesn't mean he'd end up writing [the stories], that's entirely my job, but it's good to consult, and of course he has his own unique perspective on it [as] the only person who knows the character almost as well as me, and maybe Andy Wilson, our director, so it's really good. And he's also a writer himself and is very, very, very smart. So he'll always have an interesting perspective to add, and I listen to it always and have done for four seasons."

In a previous RadioTimes.com exclusive, the Unforgotten creator teased Nicola Walker's replacement for season five, and confirmed for the first time that the mysterious new character would be another woman. "We're moving into a new iteration of the show," he added.

Want more show content? Read our Unforgotten episode 5 ending explainer for a summary of last season's finale. Looking for something to watch? Visit our TV Guide or find all the latest news on our Drama hub.