Strike: Will There Be A Seventh Series?

Debuting in the summer of 2017, BBC crime drama Strike has garnered a loyal legion of fans. Centring on the investigations of war veteran turned detective Cormoran Blue Strike (Tom Burke) in London, aided by his assistant (and later business partner) Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger), the series is gripping, moody and has been praised for its off-beat, more old-fashioned take on the genre. Now in its sixth series, four new episodes have everyone talking about Strike again – with the series finale set to air on Christmas eve. But can we expect Strike series 7? And if so, when will we get to see it? Here’s what we know so far.

Cormoran Strike (TOM BURKE) in Strike: The Ink Black Heart. (BBC/Bronte Film & TV/Rob Youngson)

Will There Be A Strike Series 7?

No official news from the BBC just yet, but we think Strike series 7 is firmly on the cards after the success of the prior six series. If it goes ahead, we expect the return of our titular investigator along with Robin – plus a whole cast of new characters embroiled in a new mystery.

What Will Happen?

If Strike series 7 gets the greenlight, the action will no doubt be based on The Running Grave (2023) – the seventh novel in Robert Galbraith’s Strike series of novels. So far, every series of Strike has lined up with the novels, which are actually written by J.K. Rowling under a pen name.

In The Running Grave – which, like The Ink Black Heart, will probably be the series subtitle – Strike is contacted by a man whose son, Will, has joined a religious cult known as the Universal Humanitarian Church in the Norfolk countryside. From the outside, the organisation seems peaceful, campaigning for a better world – but Strike discovers sinister undertones and, worst of all, unexplained deaths. In order to rescue Will, Robin goes undercover, infiltrating the cult and living incognito amongst its members. But of course, this takes a toll of its own…

Robin Ellacott (HOLLIDAY GRAINGER) in Strike: The Ink Black Heart. (BBC/Bronte Film & TV/Rob Youngson)

Release Date

There has been a two year gap between each of the previous four series of Strike. If Strike series 7 goes ahead, we think it will air around Christmas in 2026.

Strike: The Ink Black Heart Cast

A new investigation means a new cast of characters coming into contact with Strike and Robin. Strike series 6 features the following cast:

• Tom Burke as Cormoran Blue Strike
• Holliday Grainger as Robin Venetia Ellacott
• Jacob Abraham as Josh Blay
• Ewan Bailey as Nils De Jung
• Kevin Bishop as Wally Cardew
• Ellise Chappell as Kea Niven
• Jack Donoghue as Gus Upcott
• Emma Fielding as Katya Upcott
• Mirren Mack as Edie Ledwell
• Christian McKay as Inigo Upcott
• James Nelson-Joyce as Pez Pierce
• Luke Norris as Phillip Ormond
• David Westhead as Grant Ledwell

Robin Ellacott (HOLLIDAY GRAINGER) & Cormoran Strike (TOM BURKE) in Strike: The Ink Black Heart. (BBC/Bronte Film & TV/Rob Youngson)

Why Does J.K. Rowling Use A Pen Name?

Robert Galbraith is J.K. Rowling’s pen name when the Harry Potter creator dabbles in crime fiction. When she set out to publish her Strike novels, Rowling crafted an entirely new persona for herself. Why? ‘I really wanted to go back to the beginning of a writing career in this new genre, to work without hype or expectation and to receive totally unvarnished feedback,’ Rowling writes. ‘I wanted it to be just about the writing.’

As well as penning The Cuckoo’s Calling (2013) – the first novel in the Strike series – Rowling crafted an entire backstory for Robert Galbraith. He’s a military man who worked in the civilian security industry – so he had a good excuse not to appear in public or have a headshot on his book jacket. Unfortunately for Rowling, however, her cover was blown just three months after The Cuckoo’s Calling hit the shelves. On the flip side, after shifting just 1,500 copies in those first three months, the novel shot to the top of the book charts, and had sold more than 1 million copies by 2015.

Looking back, Rowling writes: ‘It was a fantastic experience and I only wish it could have gone on a little longer than it did. I was grateful at the time for all the feedback from publishers and readers, and for some great reviews. Being Robert Galbraith was all about the work, which is my favourite part of being a writer.

‘Since my cover has been blown, I continue to write as Robert to keep the distinction from other writing and because I rather enjoy having another persona,’ Rowling adds. This is taken from Galbraith’s website, and all sounds very amicable – so it’s worth noting that Rowling was initially so disappointed in being discovered that she sued the individuals who blew her cover. Who was at fault? A woman named Judith Callegari, the best friend of the wife of Christopher Gossage, a lawyer who worked at Rowling’s solicitors, Russells. ‘To say I am disappointed is an understatement,’ Rowling said in a statement at the time. ‘A tiny number of people knew my pseudonym and it has not been pleasant to wonder for days how a woman whom I had never heard of prior to Sunday night could have found out something that many of my oldest friends did not know.’

Rowling – whose real name is now Joanne Murray after her 2001 marriage – received a full apology from Russells as well as costs and substantial damages, which were donated to the Soldiers Charity.

Robin Ellacott (HOLLIDAY GRAINGER) in Strike: The Ink Black Heart. (BBC/Bronte Film & TV/Rob Youngson)

The Hallmarked Man Release Date

The eighth Strike novel is set to be published in August or September 2025, with a ninth book in the works. Only one question remains: will the BBC air an adaptation of The Hallmarked Man during the 2028 festive season? Only time will tell.

WATCH

All six series of Strike are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.