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In the second series of popular drama Mistresses, Sarah Parish, Sharon Small, Shelley Conn and Orla Brady reprise their roles as good friends Katie, Trudi, Jessica and Siobhan. The hit series is produced by Ecosse Films for ´óÏó´«Ã½ One.

Fans of the first series will see the return of many of the men that kept the four friends' lives in various states of joy and pain.

Patrick Baladi (Richard), Raza Jaffrey (Hari), Adam Rayner (Dominic) and Adam Astill (Simon) have some competition on their hands with handsome newcomers to the hit series including Oliver Milburn (Holby Blue) and Steven Brand (The Scorpion King); and actress Natasha Little (This Life) also joins the acclaimed cast in this new series.

Twelve months have elapsed and Katie, Trudi, Jessica and Siobhan’s friendship remains as strong as ever, despite all their personal trials.

Struggling to learn from their past mistakes, the 30-something women face new dilemmas, though the root of their problems remains the same - men and sex!

Will they ever find true happiness?

After her married lover's death and her ill-advised affair with his son, Katie has sworn off men for good and is trying to make some changes in her life, starting with a new direction in her career.

However, retraining at her local hospital throws Katie into the path of two gorgeous men; heart surgeon Dan (Mark Umbers), who appears to offer a chance of lasting stability and happiness, and Jack (Brand), an old flame who is her new boss and married to Megan (Little).

Surviving the shock of her husband pretending to have perished in the 9/11 disaster, Trudi swaps her $2m compensation money for the arrest of her fraudulent ex-partner and chaotic family bliss with Richard.

But the domestic harmony doesn't last long and she realises that Richard may not quite be the man she thought he was.

It hasn't taken too long for party planner Jessica to rebound from her first bruising encounter with love. Dumped by her married girlfriend, Jessica is with a man who is her mirror image - Mark (Milburn).

It's the perfect arrangement; they're both beautiful, love the high life, fancy each other like mad and have no time for monogamy. However, an open relationship might sound great on paper but is Jessica's life as perfect as she makes out?

Lawyer Siobhan faced the biggest dilemma of all. Finally pregnant after years of trying, her longed-for baby is not her husband Hari's but colleague Dominic's (Rayner), with whom she had a passionate affair.

Siobhan and Hari are trying to rebuild their marriage as Siobhan juggles first-time motherhood, her exacting career and permanent tension, and she's nursing a dark secret that could cost her everything...

Douglas Rae, executive producer and MD of Ecosse Films, said: "The response to the first series of Mistresses was phenomenal and it really struck a chord with 30-something women.

"In this new series, the audience will get to know Katie, Trudi, Jessica and Siobhan more intimately and see how their decisions in love affect not only their lives, but the lives of their friends too."

Bethan Jones, ´óÏó´«Ã½ executive producer, added: "Last year, Mistresses was must-see television for women, as well as a guilty pleasure for their partners, and I'm delighted that ´óÏó´«Ã½ One viewers will be treated to another series full of wit, charisma and revelations."

Lucy Bedford, executive producer for Ecosse Films, said: "We are so lucky to have such a talented cast in Mistresses and we have been able to add some equally talented new faces to the girls' circle of friends – and some more gorgeous men to tempt our lovely ladies!

"The new series offers great drama, unexpected twists and some very funny moments which will keep Mistresses fans hooked!"

Mistresses series two was commissioned by former Controller ´óÏó´«Ã½ Fiction, Jane Tranter through ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales for ´óÏó´«Ã½ One and filmed in Bristol.

The first episode is on Tuesday 17 February 2009, 9.00-10.00pm, ´óÏó´«Ã½Â One.

PPR