Crew Member Dies on Set of Netflix’s “Dept. Q” in Edinburgh After Season 2 Wraps
A crew member has died after an accident on the Edinburgh set of Netflix’s hit crime drama Dept. Q, days after filming wrapped on the show’s second season. Emergency services were called to FirstStage Studios in Leith on Thursday afternoon, November 12, after the man was seriously injured. He was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. His identity has not been made public, and the circumstances that led to his injuries have not yet been revealed. Police Scotland said the death is not being treated as suspicious, but inquiries are continuing.
What happened at FirstStage Studios
Emergency crews were called to the studio at about 3 p.m. on Thursday, according to BBC News and Deadline, which first reported the death. The man, a member of the Dept. Q crew, was treated by paramedics but did not survive. Filming on the second season had recently finished — production wrapped in late October — but the set remained active as crews dismantled sets and completed technical work. Reports have raised the possibility that the incident happened during that strike work, but that has not been confirmed, and the authorities have not said what the man was doing when he was hurt.
“Deeply shocked and saddened”
Left Bank Pictures, which produces Dept. Q for Netflix, confirmed the death in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic death of a member of our Dept. Q crew,” a spokesperson said. The company has not released further details. Netflix and FirstStage Studios had not responded to requests for comment when the news was first reported on Friday. The Health and Safety Executive said it was aware of the incident and is liaising with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Police Scotland.
A hit series, just wrapped
Dept. Q is Netflix’s adaptation of Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen’s novels about a maverick Edinburgh detective unit, written and directed by Scott Frank and starring Matthew Goode as DCI Carl Morck, alongside Kelly Macdonald and Alexej Manvelov. The first season arrived on Netflix in May 2025 and became one of the streamer’s breakout dramas; Netflix renewed it for a second season in August 2025. The second season, filmed over about four months in Scotland, has no announced release date yet and is expected to arrive in 2027.
Related Articles
It has been a difficult week for the entertainment world, which also mourned veteran actor Stacy Keach, who died at 85 and comedian Anthony Clark, who died at 62.
Why this matters
On-set deaths remain rare, but they are felt keenly across film and television, where crews work long hours around heavy equipment, sets and rigging. For Dept. Q, the tragedy casts a shadow over a series that had become a flagship for Scottish screen production, filmed largely in and around Edinburgh.
What happens next
Police Scotland said inquiries are ongoing, and the Health and Safety Executive’s involvement suggests the circumstances will be formally examined. No further details about the crew member’s identity or role have been released. Netflix has not said whether the incident will affect the second season’s post-production schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What happened on the Dept. Q set?
A crew member was seriously injured at FirstStage Studios in Edinburgh on Thursday, November 12, and died at the scene. Police Scotland said the death is not being treated as suspicious.
Had filming on Season 2 finished?
Yes. Filming wrapped in late October 2026, but the set was still active for strike and technical work when the incident happened.
When will Dept. Q Season 2 be released?
Netflix has not announced a release date. The season is expected to arrive in 2027.
The death is a sobering reminder that the work behind the screen carries real risk, even after the cameras stop rolling. For now, the Dept. Q team and the wider production community in Edinburgh are waiting for answers about how a routine wrap became a tragedy.
Sources: TheWrap, Just Jared, BBC News, CBR, Deadline
