:Ultimate Force II:

Ross Kemp is back in a blaze of bullets with the return of all-action SAS drama ULTIMATE FORCE to ITV1.

Ross plays Sergeant Henno Garvie, the tough and charismatic leader of a crack SAS troop. Together, the men of Red Troop put their careers and their personal lives on the line in the name of their country.

The new six-part series, made by Bentley Productions, comes hot on the heels of the first series of ULTIMATE FORCE, screened on ITV1 last autumn. The episodes again feature dramatic stunts and spectacular special effects as the 22nd Regiment faces a new array of deadly enemies and life-threatening missions at home and abroad.

New recruits include Richard Armitage (Cold Feet) as tough Captain Ian Macalwain, brought in to shake up the troop at a difficult time, and Lucy Akhurst (Wonderful You) as M15 officer Pru Banks, whose interest in Henno is not strictly professional.

They join Jamie Draven as trooper Jamie Dow, Tony Curran as wounded soldier Pete Twamley, Miles Anderson as Colonel Aidan Dempsey, Alex Reid as Captain Caroline Walshe, Danny Sapani as Ricky Mann, Elliot Cowan as Jem Poynton, Jamie Bamber as Lieutenant Dotsy Doheny and Christopher Fox as Louis Hoffman.

Guest stars include David Ryall, Sara Kestelman, Rolf Saxon, Michael Nardone, Conor Mullen, Dorian Healy and Emily Joyce.

Producer Brian True-May says: "The new series of ULTIMATE FORCE again has its basis in action-adventure, with stunning visuals and an emphasis on hard-nosed reality. But we also go more deeply into the private lives of our soldiers and reveal the strain that being in the SAS puts upon their relationships."

ULTIMATE FORCE is originally devised by Rob Heyland (Have Your Cake and Eat It, Between the Lines) and former SAS soldier turned best-selling author Chris Ryan. The new series is written by Rob Heyland and Len Collin (Soldier Soldier).

It is directed by Tim Leandro (London’s Burning, Justice in Wonderland), Richard Holthouse (Jonathan Creek, Taggart, The Knock) and Jeremy Webb (Casualty, Brookside, Take Me With You) and is a Bentley Production for ITV1.