Sam Keeley, who plays Viking in hit crime drama KIN, has joined the cast of The Dry, which has begun shooting its second series in and around Dublin.
The Offaly actor who chewed the scenery in the gangster saga will play "charming" barista Alex, who may be a possible love interest for recovering alcoholic Shiv, played by Roisin Gallagher.
He will join new cast members Michael McElhatton and Thommas Kane Byrne in the black comedy, while Ciarán Hinds, Pom Boyd, Siobhán Cullen, and Adam Richardson will also return in series two, which is again written by BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Nancy Harris (Dates) and directed by Paddy Breathnach (Viva, Rosie).
The storyline picks up seven months on from the events of the first series, and we now meet the Sheridans in their new normal.
The official synopsis reads, "To all outward appearances, it seems like the family is relatively content: Shiv's been sober, celibate, and solvent for six months, Ant has hung onto his job at the estate agents and his relationship with Max, and Caroline’s making up for a lost time by enjoying herself on Tinder.
"So far, so normal… Or is it? After all, how normal is it for three grown adults to still be living at home with their parents? And are the Sheridans really happy with this new status quo, or have they just rearranged their dysfunction and found another groove of denial to fit into?
"Shiv is determined to get sobriety right this time, to cut the toxic influences out of her life for good. But what if the biggest threat to Shiv’s stability turns out to be closer to home? Giving up alcohol is one thing…but what about giving up your family?
Roisin Gallagher said: "I am thrilled to be jumping back into Shiv's shoes once more. It has been a joy to work with the returning cast from series one - and this time we’ve welcomed some new faces to share the chaotic shenanigans of the Sheridan’s life.
"I cannot wait to see where this next chapter takes us, there are so many more hilarious twists and turns on her continuous battle to stay sober."
Executive Producer, Emma Norton at Element Pictures added: "We all fell in love with the Sheridan family in season one and so it’s a huge treat to get to spend more time in their company.
"Nancy has a hilarious and heart-breaking arc for this season and Paddy is leading our wonderful Irish cast and crew, to bring this fantastic new chapter to life."
Additional newcomers include Seán Doyle (Normal People), Helen Norton (Cracks) and Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club).
The first series of The Dry won IFTAs for Actor in a Supporting Role - Drama and Best Original Score in May.
The second series will stream exclusively on RTÉ One, RTÉ Player and ITVX next year whilst the first series is available to watch now on RTÉ Player (where it has almost 700,000 streams to date) and ITVX.
