Where is Traces filmed and how many episodes are there in season 2?

Wondering where Traces is filmed? You're probably not alone as season 2 kicked off on BBC with a chillingly tense storyline.

It might have taken two years of patient waiting but crime drama Traces season 2 has finally arrived on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two. The second season aired first on Alibi as we saw with fellow crime show, Annika, and whilst we might still be wondering if and when Annika season 2 will be on BBC, it’s great to see Emma, Sarah and Kathy back in action in Traces. They’re experts with the Scottish Institute of Forensic Science and Traces season 2 has upped the ante for them. 

They must do all they can to help discover who’s behind a series of bombings whilst tension rises in the city. Co-created and written by best-selling author Val McDermid and actor Amelia Bullmore, the show just wouldn’t be the same without the setting. For anyone wondering where Traces is filmed and where in Scotland it’s set, we have all the details you’ve been looking for.

Where is Traces filmed? 

As you might have guessed given the name of Emma Hedges, Professor Sarah Gordon and Professor Kathy Torrance's workplace, Traces is set in Scotland and more specifically in and around Dundee, however Traces is primarily filmed in Northern England. Bolton in Greater Manchester is a major filming location for Traces and Martin Compton, who fans might recognise from Line of Duty, stars as Daniel in the series and previously explained to The Scots Magazine that they “filmed a lot” of season 1 in Manchester.

However, he added that they did “get up to the location in Dundee” for filming too and they even got to visit a forensic lab at Dundee University which was “fascinating”. His co-star Laura Fraser, who plays Professor Sarah Gordon in Traces, didn’t actually get to film in Scotland for the first season. 

She told the publication, “They shot my parts in Manchester. I wasn’t in the week when they shot in Dundee. I was in Albuquerque filming Better Call Saul and I was really disappointed because I live in Glasgow and I thought, ‘oh this is handy!’”

For season 1 of Traces, the film crew shot the forensic drama in a huge variety of locations and Assistant Location Manager Laura Power told Creative UK that they moved locations at least every day as they filmed at everything from a nightclub to a university and bars and hotels.

“I can’t remember exactly how many locations there were all in all, but we did move location at least every single day,” she said. “There was a section during the middle of the shoot where we were in one building but had set moves and builds in the location, in the middle of Bolton and there are many things you need to take into consideration when filming in the middle of a town centre.”

Laura revealed that they built a couple of sets with the old Magistrates’ Court - the office space and the old police cells in the actual courtroom. 

“It was great for us – you can do so much with it, it’s multi-faceted,” she said.

Meanwhile, Bobby Cochrane from Screen Manchester also spoke to the publication about the production of Traces and explained that “key locations” for filming Traces included city bars, hotels, restaurants and residential homes and park locations in the north and south of the city.

He declared, “With Manchester doubling as Dundee, it shows the fantastic diverse range of locations that the city has to offer for urban, suburban and rural scenes.”

It seems as though Traces season 2 was also filmed a lot in Manchester, but also with scenes shot in Scotland too given the setting. Film crews were reportedly spotted on Dundee’s waterfront in spring 2021 and in March 2021, Manchester Evening News reported that filming crews had been spotted in Bolton near Manchester outside the old Magistrates’ Court.

How many episodes of Traces season 2 are there and how can you watch?

Just like Traces season 1, Traces season 2 has six episodes for fans to enjoy. Whether you’ve already seen the show on Alibi or have heard about it and have waited eagerly for it to land on the BBC, there’s never been a better time to immerse yourself in this compelling drama. It’s airing every Saturday at 9:25 on BBC One and all episodes are also available now on BBC iPlayer, as are all six episodes of Traces season 1.