History of The Tourist (TV series) in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 24, 2026

The Tourist is a drama-thriller black comedy series starring Jamie Dornan as a man who wakes up in the Australian outback with amnesia after a car crash. The first series follows his attempts to uncover his identity and the events leading up to the accident. It premiered in January 2022 in the UK and Australia, and later in the US. The second series, which shifts the setting to Ireland, premiered in January 2024, continuing the protagonist's journey as he confronts his past and unravels further mysteries.

February 2020: BBC One and Stan Announce Co-Production

In February 2020, BBC One and Stan announced that they would co-produce The Tourist, a limited mystery-thriller series written by Harry and Jack Williams, directed by Chris Sweeney, and produced by Two Brothers Pictures. HBO Max later joined as a distributor for the US market.

January 2021: Cast Members Announced

In January 2021, the cast of The Tourist was announced, including Jamie Dornan, Danielle Macdonald, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and Alex Dimitriades. Hugo Weaving was initially cast but replaced by Damon Herriman a week before filming.

March 2021: Filming Begins in South Australia

In March 2021, filming for The Tourist began in South Australia, specifically in the regional towns of Port Augusta and Peterborough, as well as the Flinders Ranges. The production crew also recreated Bali's Kuta Beach on Adelaide's North Haven Beach.

July 2021: Principal Photography Concludes

In July 2021, the principal photography for The Tourist concluded in South Australia.

January 2022: Series Premieres on BBC One and Stan

On January 1, 2022, The Tourist premiered on BBC One in the UK. Soon after, it premiered on Stan in Australia.

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March 2022: The Tourist Becomes Most Watched Series on iPlayer

As of March 2022, The Tourist became the most-watched series on BBC iPlayer, with an overall view of 18 million on its release, becoming the third most successful drama launch for the platform. The first episode was watched 6,428,000 times on iPlayer alone during 2022.

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March 2022: Series Renewed for Second Series

In March 2022, The Tourist was renewed for a second series, with filming planned to start in April 2023.

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March 2022: Series Released on HBO Max and Amazon Prime

On March 3, 2022, The Tourist was released on HBO Max in the US and Latin America, as well as on Amazon Prime in Canada.

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2022: Critical Acclaim and Recognition in 2022

In 2022, The Guardian ranked The Tourist number 24 on their list of best television shows. It also became the most-watched drama of 2022 in the UK.

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April 2023: Filming Starts for Second Series

Filming for the second series of The Tourist started in April 2023, and is set in Ireland.

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April 2023: Filming for Second Series Starts in Dublin

In April 2023, filming for the second series of The Tourist commenced in Dublin, Ireland, with Jamie Dornan and Danielle Macdonald reprising their roles. Diarmaid Murtagh, Conor MacNeill, Olwen Fouéré, Francis Magee, Mark McKenna, Réginal-Roland Kudiwu and Nessa Matthews joined the cast.