Red Eye is all set to return in January with Season 2 and the excitement is palpable. The ITV British thriller series follows the story of Dr. Matthew Nolan (played by Richard Armitage), a murder suspect, who is being taken to Beijing by Detective Hana Li (played by Jing Lusi). What follows is a series of shocking events, unveiling a deep-seated conspiracy in play.Red Eye Season 2 is set to premiere on January 1, 2026, on ITV 1 and ITV X with six episodes. Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp as Madeline Delaney will be reprising their roles in the upcoming season. The other cast members include Jemma Moore, Robert Gilbert , Martin Compston, Cash Holland and Jonathan Aris. The US audience can watch season 1 of Red Eye on Hulu. Here is a quick recap of Season 1 before the new season premieres.Matthew Nolan is getting extradited to China for a crime he claims he did not do in Red Eye Season 1The audience is first introduced to British doctor Matthew Nolan in Red Eye as he comes out of a nightclub looking shaken and bleeding. As people try to grab him, he runs away. He drives a car, which crashes but he manages to escape. Later, he is seen arriving at the Heathrow airport, having landed from China. But he is stopped by officers, who take him to for interrogation. Nolan shares that he was in China for a medical conference and is confused at being cross-examined.As the Red Eye goes on, the officers share that Nolan is the suspect in the murder case of a woman called Shen Zhao in China and he is currently being detained for the same. Her body was found in the car he had crashed. While he did meet a woman with the same name, he assures that he knows nothing about what happened to her.The British and Chinese diplomatic channel is going strong with a heavy economic investment in place. They did not want this issue to become an hinderance, thus the MI5 Director General Madeline Delaney steps in to help with this case. Detective Hana Li is chosen to take Nolan to China as part of the extradition process.Hana is of Chinese origin and is also chosen for the job because of it, but truth is that she has nothing to do with the country anymore. On the flight, things take an unexpected turn after the death of a fellow passenger and she realizes that there is a bigger conspiracy involving Nolan, who could be innocent after all.A secret operation is in play in Red Eye Season 1 It is revealed in Red Eye Season 1 that MI6 is behind a covert operation called Operation Broadside, which draws doctors into its mission. Nolan, along with other doctors, were working for a private research company owned by a British man called Sir George Chapman.And here is the twist in Red Eye Season 1, the company is a cover for for spying on other countries through conferences, wherein they obtain confidential materials. These doctors carry these documents without realizing the significance of it. At the airport, the MI6 will take the material from them.In Red Eye Season 1, Nolan had a Nano Sim with classified information on him. Delaney is against the operation as it is a threat to innocent citizens. She will take help from Hana’s sister, Jess, who is a journalist.The Nano SIM with Nolan, which was placed by Shen Zhao, comprises two versions of same code. As Delaney will uncover, the special program was meant to be placed in the nuclear plant, which was being built by British and the Chinese jointly. The code would have given the Chinese control. However, the other code draws more suspicion. It is disclosed that the second code is put by the Americans as part of the CIA’s initiative to stop the nuclear power deal between the Chinese and the British.Shen Zhao had been working with British intelligence while prioritizing Chinese interest. When she gets the two codes, she wanted the British to be made aware of the disruption in play by the America. She had put the SIM in Matthew’s body after stabbing him.Meanwhile in Red Eye Season 1, the CIA is alerted to a leak exposing its attempt to undermine the deal. CIA agent Mike Maxwell and team were following Shen to find whom she had shared the information with. After Nolan had left the nightclub wounded, Mike and his team target Shen and kill her. It is interesting to note that Shen had touched five British doctors with the idea of confusing them. They needed Nolan back, in order to obtain the SIM, before it reaches the authorities. They make it seem as though he was responsible for Shen’s murder and push for his extradition to China to stand the trial.The real culprit behind the conspiracy is revealed in Red Eye Season 1 The CIA team will take down Sir George Chapman and a few of the doctors associated with the Operation Broadside. There were CIA associated assassins on the Nolan’s plane to China, who took down the doctors, all the while trying to find the person who had the SIM.But as the sinister plot is uncovered in Red Eye Season 1, Hana Li finds herself in an unexpected situation as she gets framed for the murders, owing to her being a Chinese immigrant. Mike had anticipated everything, even arranging for a crew member to plant a suitcase filled with fabricated evidence against Hana. But by then Hana had realized the scheme in motion. She would hijack the plane in a desperate attempt. Delaney is forced to step down from her position. The two women are able to establish private connection as Hana lands in London.Delaney had lost faith in British authorities, not knowing whom to trust. She would help Hana and Nolan off the plane along with Jess. Delaney had been dating Mike but did not know of his involvement in the larger plot. But when he brings up Nano SIM, she realizes that he is hiding something. Nolan also shares that there were some CIA officials in China when the incident of his stabbing took place. They manage to escape from Mike.But knowing that he will not face the consequences of his actions, Delaney will set a trap for Mike. He ends up unveiling the truth to the Chinese authorities, hoping that he will get the SIM at last.As Red Eye Season 1 comes to a close, we also see Hana getting the classified files about her mother. She gives it to her father, who is overcome with emotion.ALSO READ: Vikings parents guide: Why you shouldn't let your kids watch the historical drama, explainedFor more stories on shows, follow SoapCentral