TV stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman will return to the second series of Broadchurch, it has been confirmed.

The ITV murder mystery will be back for a new instalment after wowing more than nine million viewers last year.

Tennant, who played Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, was subsequently hired for the US remake.

Now it has been confirmed that Tennant will return to his role, and Colman will be back as Ellie Miller, the Detective Sergeant left devastated after her husband confessed to murdering schoolboy Danny Latimer.

Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan, who play Danny's parents Beth and Mark Latimer, will also return to their roles, alongside Arthur Darvill as local vicar Paul Coates.

The second series, which is set to begin filming in Dorset, has been penned by Chris Chibnall, who created and wrote the first series.

He has previously said that the new run will be "completely different".

ITV's director of drama Steve November said: "We're delighted Broadchurch is back in production, but we're remaining tight-lipped about how the story develops.

"Suffice to say Chris has delivered as always and the scripts are just as exciting as the first series."

Executive producer Jane Featherstone said: "The reaction to Broadchurch from UK viewers has been incredible. So we'd like viewers to enjoy the new series knowing as little as possible about what's to come and for the story to unfold in real time."

Earlier this year, Rev actress Colman insisted that she was relaxed about not being cast in the US version of the hit drama, which topped a poll of the best TV shows of 2013.

"Why does it matter? I don't know why everybody is so bothered about it. I am working. It's an American show, they should cast American people. If it was a British show and they cast all Americans it would be wrong," she said.

"It's nice to have a chance to say that it never crossed my mind as something that's annoying."