Marsha Thomason is back as DS Jenn Townsend (Picture: Jed Knight)
The Bay fans were absolutely thrilled to have the beloved ITV crime drama back on our screens for season 4.
Marsha Thomason returned DS Jenn Townsend, having replaced Morven Christie as the new lead last year, and got stuck in straight away with a grisly case.
In the opening moments of episode 1, the FLO (family liaison officer) arrives at the scene of a tragic household fire, which claims the life of Beth Metcalf (Victoria Elliot).
While her children manage to escape the blaze, suspicion mounts that the house was the target of an attack, with Metcalf actually a murder victim.
ITV viewers heaped praise on the ‘dramatic’ sequence, with one writing: ‘Harrowing start that.’
‘Omg, what an opening,’ a fan penned, while another, agreeing, added: ‘Totally invested in #TheBay.’
The fire had devastating consequences in The Bay (Picture: ITV/Jonathan Birch/Shutterstock)
A fourth commented: ‘Can always count on #TheBay to have a belting opening!’
Many others said they were gripped by the opening moments, adding they were relieved The Bay had returned.
In season 3, when Marsha, 47, joined the blockbuster series, Jenn helped look into the death of a young man called Saif Rahman, who had a promising career ahead of him as a boxer
Fans were completely shocked by opening moments (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
At the time, Jenn was described as being ‘immediately thrown into the deep end when a body is found in the bay on her first day in the job’.
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‘She must get under the skin of a grieving and complicated family if she has any chance of solving the premature death of an aspiring young boxer,’ the synopsis said.
The Bay continues on ITV and ITVX on Wednesday at 9pm.
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MORE : Who is The Bay star Marsha Thomason and what else has she been in?
‘Wow good start to the new series,’ one said.