UMVA has learned that the beloved television series Smoggie Queens is back for a second series, with the lovable gang of characters returning to sprinkle some glitter around Middlesbrough.
The show, which launched on BBC iPlayer in November 2024, was renewed for a second series in March last year and has now finally been released, with all six episodes available to stream. Fans will be reunited with Dickie, Mam, Lucinda, Stewart, and Sal as they navigate love, relationships, and identity.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the last time fans saw the crew, they were rallying around Stewart after his coming out to his grandma didn’t go well. Dickie was still feeling the effects from his split from Harrison, Mam was dealing with her past catching up with her, Lucinda was trying to make it work with bumbling Neil, and Sal was coming into her own despite an emotionally abusive relationship.
The show’s writer, Phil Dunning, brings a big sense of humour to the show, tackling important topics such as coming out and breakups with a lighthearted touch. Elijah Young, who plays Stewart, praises Dunning’s writing, saying, “What I love about Phil’s sense of humour and how he writes comedy is that he’ll write the joke, but then he’ll take it a step further where it almost enters into ridiculousness.”
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the show’s setting in Middlesbrough was a deliberate choice by Dunning, who wanted to shine a light on the industrial town. Dunning says, “I was in Middlesbrough every single week for gay events... If I was going to write a sitcom about gays, it meant a lot to write in Teesside. It’s just that classic thing of write what you know, and I know a lot about the Teesside gays.”
The show’s cast, including Elijah Young, Patsy Lowe, and Alexandra Mardell, discuss their characters’ journeys in series two. Young says, “It was really lovely coming into series two and getting to play Stewart now at the beginning of his journey of figuring out what does being openly gay look like for him.”
Lowe, who plays Sal, says, “Series two really shows Sal coming into her own, because she’s always able to be herself when she’s around her chosen family and the rest of the gang.” Mardell, who plays Lucinda, adds, “I think Neil needs a bit of whipping into shape. She’ll manage it.”
The second series of Smoggie Queens promises to be just as fun and heartwarming as the first, with the gang navigating love, relationships, and identity in the industrial town of Middlesbrough. Fans can stream all six episodes on BBC iPlayer now.
