Critically-acclaimed drama Cleddau will explore coercive control and the dark side of online dating when it returns to S4C this autumn.

The much-anticipated second series, which begins on 11 October, has worked closely with a policing consultant to ensure the series reflects how police respond to the reality thousands face each year.

49,557 cases of coercive control were reported to police in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025, according to the charity Women's Aid.

Writing about social themes which concerned her was especially important for author Catherine Tregenna (Three Pines, Law & Order UK, Lewis, DCI Banks and The Bench).

As the series revisits Pembrokeshire and the lives of detectives DI Ffion Lloyd (Elen Rhys) and DS Rick Sheldon (Richard Harrington), the production has sought the expertise of police adviser Lisa Casler.

Lisa worked alongside Catherine Tregenna to develop the policing strands of the storyline so that they reflect the realities of policing as accurately as they can.

But Lisa, who has previously advised on series such as Happy Valley, says it’s important to “strike a balance” between realism and drama.

“You have to keep a level of authenticity, the procedural elements, the jargon and the interactions between the team,” she says.

“The key is trying to make things fit. The integrity of the storyline is what is important and if creative licence has to take priority then that must be the way forward."

But Lisa notes that Cleddau is “more than a police drama”.

“Policing is really just the jobs the characters do. It’s about relationships, family life and the stresses and strains of the impact they have on your working life, whatever job you choose to do,” she adds.

In this series, a local swimmer discovers a body in the River Cleddau.

DI Lloyd and DS Sheldon must work together to track down a killer who is using a dating app to lure women into his trap.

“Cath is so incredibly talented in the way she knows exactly how she wants to tell the story and how many women fall victim to perpetrators of this crime type," Lisa adds.

“It was vital to ensure that this storyline was grounded in reality and to show Ffion, this brilliant, courageous, clever woman, being drawn into this type of deception.”

Catherine Tregenna added:

“We decided that we wanted to look at the world of online dating, the murders are committed by someone who meets girls online. It's all about – whether you want to put yourself out there? Do you want to put yourself at risk of getting hurt?

“It was a very interesting world and felt very contemporary too.”

Produced by Blacklight for S4C and distributed internationally by Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay Entertainment, Cleddau has received support from the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.

The new series begins on Sunday, October 11 at 9pm on S4C, with all episodes available to stream on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer from the same date, with the first series available to watch now on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer.

S4C dramas are sponsored by Transport for Wales.