Why did DI Sam Tyler find himself back in 1973? Will he ever get back to 2007? Will he get it together with Annie Cartwright before he goes? How wide can flares get? Just how much Old Spice can one man wear? The answers to these and many more questions are about to be revealed as series 2 (of 2) of Life On Mars begins in a couple of weeks.

In true cliff-hanger style, the truth about the time travelling DI will not be revealed until the very last episode. Executive producer Jane Featherstone, says: "Obviously, we will not be revealing in advance what eventually happens to Sam, as we wouldn't want to spoil everyone's enjoyment of the second half of his story when they watch series two. But they can certainly expect some shocking revelations along the way. We have even filmed two endings."

You may think you've already worked out exactly what's going on, but the producers are adamant that what "the audience thinks they know will be challenged" and we will all be kept guessing right up to the final frame.

The success of series one has attracted many well-known and talented guest stars eager to be associated with Life On Mars while there's still chance. Marc Warren from Hustle, Kevin McNally lately of Pirates Of The Caribbean and Georgia Taylor from Blackpool all don wide ties, flares large collars for their trip back to 1973.

Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister)'s desire to rid Manchester of criminal scum is as strong as ever, especially since his mentor, Superintendent Woolf (Kevin McNally) is back at the station. But his is not the only mentor on the team: Sam is astonished when his own mentor and inspiration from 2007, Chief Inspector Glenn Fletcher (Emmet Brown, Outlaws) joins Hunt's crew. In 1973, of course, he's still just a fresh-faced new recruit.

Marc Warren guests as Tony Crane, someone else whom Sam recognises from his future. Crane is a sleazy casino owner who runs a line in counterfeit cash and Sam has a hard job convincing DCI Hunt that Crane is a wrong 'un.

With a very powerful writing team assembled (original writers Matthew Graham, Ashley Pharoah and Chris Chibnall are joined by Julie Rutterford (Hustle, Teachers), Guy Jenkin (The Private Life Of Samuel Pepys, Drop The Dead Donkey) and Mark Greig (Afterlife, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries) for series two) the next eight weeks are set to be totally stonking.