You Don’t Know Me: Ending explained and will there be a season 2?
*Contains spoilers for You Don't Know Me season 1*


BBC thriller You Don't Know Me has landed on Netflix. The gripping story centres on a young man called Hero who stands trial for the murder of a man named Jamil.
Netflix has been the source of all entertainment needs at present. Be it the documentary about FLDS leader Warren Jeffs (opens in new tab), or the tales of sexploiter Ryan Vallee (opens in new tab) and swatter Tyler Barriss (opens in new tab) in Web of Make Believe - the streaming giant has had us glued to screens. And this includes the release of You Don't Know Me, which dropped in June.
We're introduced to suspect Hero in court telling his version of events following the murder of gangster Jamil. But as the episodes unfold, viewers come to realise that Hero account isn't exactly 100% truthful, which begs the question; is he really capable of murder? The inconclusive ending has left many viewers with questions about what actually happened and whether there will be a second season. Here’s everything you need to know.
You Don’t Know Me: Season 1 ending explained
Season 1 of You Don’t Know Me ends with the two divergent outcomes – guilty and not guilty – both being played out, and it's never confirmed whether Hero walks free.
Firstly, the jury is seen passing a verdict of guilty, with a big celebration by Jamil’s parents, while Hero remains in prison for the rest of his life.
We then see the next possibility play out, with the jury finding Hero not guilty. Hero then flees to Europe to reunite with his girlfriend Kyra and restart their lives together.
But when the judge is heard asking the foreman of the jury whether they have made a verdict, to which the foreman replies: “Yes,” the series comes to an abrupt end, meaning we don’t know which way the verdict went.
Who killed Jamil?
While we don’t find out the jury’s verdict, we do find out who shot Jamil dead and it wasn’t Hero. It was Hero's little sister Bless that shot him, though Kyra is the one who takes the blame.
Jamil had already been shot once, after a plan set out by Hero and his friend Curt to rob him had spiralled out of control. But Jamil made a full recovery in hospital.
Bless had gone over to the hospital to keep a check on Jamil, disguising herself as a volunteer. But her plan didn't work as he recognised her, taking her hostage at their club. Jamil then called Hero, threatening to kill Bless if he didn't bring his money and Kyra immediately to him. Ready to do everything to protect his sister, Hero and Kyra raced to the club.
Kyra had been carrying Hero’s gun and when the situation heightened, she was ready to pull the trigger. But at the last minute, Bless picked up the gun and shot Jamil dead.
Hero quickly came up with a plan to take the blame to protect his sister. But Kyra convinced him to frame the whole thing on her, so it seemed he had been set up by his lover. Kyra left the country and gave an anonymous tip to the police, while Hero set all the evidence in his house that would prove the tragic story of being framed and betrayed by his girlfriend.
What happened to Hero’s girlfriend Kyra?
After coming up with their plan to protect Hero’s sister Bless, Kyra travelled abroad to lay low.
The plan was for her to remain there until Hero joined her and they could restart their lives together. However, thanks to the cliffhanger ending, we never discover if Hero and Kyra were reunited.
You Don’t Know Me: Ending reaction
Following the unclear ending, many fans branded the ending of You Don’t Know Me “awful” and a “let down” after bingeing the series.
One viewer said: “What a truly awful ending to a brilliant series. Why ruin it? It was so good.”
Another commented on the lack of closure: “Was it just me who thought the ending was an utter letdown to a great TV show? I need closure.”
A third wrote on Twitter: “I hated the ending of You don't know me.”
So did he get guilty or not guilty on You don’t know me on Netflix???? So annoyed with the ending #NetflixJune 22, 2022
Viewers also took to social media to complain that the show was not following exact court protocols. One viewer said: "Defendant for murder marches down with no security, after refusing to give evidence, to give his evidence by making a closing speech which he can’t be examined on.”
While another added: “Seems an improbable legal set up on You Don’t Know Me."
Is You Don’t Know Me based on a true story?
You Don’t Know Me is not a true story, but is instead based on a novel of the same name by Imran Mahmood. The author is a criminal law barrister with more than 25 years in the industry.
The BBC series was adapted by Tom Edge, the man behind Vigil (opens in new tab). Speaking to The Guardian (opens in new tab) at the time of the book's release back in 2017, author Mahmood explained: "It's an alloy, an amalgam of the people I speak to. There is this urgent quality to their dialogue and I've always had an ear for it, an interest in it."
He added to the BBC: “You Don’t Know Me is a story told by a defendant in a dock, giving a speech to the jury.
“He is one of the thousands of young men, strangers to privilege and opportunity, who are caught in the net of the criminal justice system each year. For those young men, the court is a system designed to deal with them but not to communicate with them. Not to understand them.”
You Don't Know Me by Imran Mahmood (Paperback) - £7.37 | Amazon (opens in new tab)
"Superb character-driven fiction. Masterful", says The Guardian. Read the original story that inspired the BBC series.
Will there be a season 2 of You Don’t Know Me?
While the novel doesn’t have a sequel, the ambiguous ending of season 1 means a season 2 could be very likely - though this hasn’t been confirmed.
If the show is renewed in the following few months, viewers can likely expect You Don’t Know Me season 2 to come out sometime in 2023.
Author Imran Mamood also has other books which they could base future series on, including All I Said Was True or I Know What I Saw.
Video of the Week:
Robyn is a freelance celebrity journalist with ten years experience in the industry. While studying for a degree in Media and Cultural Studies at London College of Communication, she did internships at Now and Heat magazines. After graduating, she landed a job at Star magazine, where she worked her way up to features editor. She then worked at Future as Deputy Celebrity Content Director across Woman, Woman’s Own, Woman’s Weekly and Woman & Home magazines.
-
-
Panic attack symptoms, triggers and how to calm down
Panic attack symptoms can affect us physically, mentally and emotionally - here's how to ease them, according to medical experts and therapists
By Debra Waters • Published
-
Lasagne
Make this classic lasagne with layers of lean beef mince and tomato sauce. It's an easy Italian lasagne recipe the whole family will love...
By Jessica Dady • Published
-
When is Casa Amor in Love Island? Rumoured date and number of nights expected at rival villa
Casa Amor is always a tense time on Love Island, gripping viewers. But when can we expect to see the second villa?
By Robyn Morris • Published
-
Who plays Vecna in Stranger Things season 4 and how is he linked to Eleven?
We've shared who plays Vecna in Stranger Things season 4 and how he's linked to Eleven as season 4 volume 2 lands on Netflix.
By Lucy Wigley • Published
-
Where is Emma Raducanu from and when did she move to England?
Tennis fans are wondering where Emma Raducanu is from, where she went to school and details of her dating life.
By Emily Stedman • Published
-
Where was Man vs Bee filmed, whose house is it and is the house real? Locations in the Rowan Atkinson Netflix series
Man vs Bee is streaming on Netflix and we've revealed the filming locations, details of the main house and whether it's real.
By Lucy Wigley • Published
-
Why isn't Roger Federer playing Wimbledon 2022 and has he retired?
We share why Roger Federer isn't playing Wimbledon this year and when we can next expect to see him on screen.
By Emily Stedman • Published
-
Who does Mark Addy play in Sherwood and what else has he been in?
Audiences can expect to see Mark Addy join the cast of BBC drama Sherwood in episodes 5 and 6.
By Emily Stedman • Published
-
Where is Snowflake Mountain filmed? Location of Netflix’s new reality show
Viewers of Netflix's new reality show Snowflake Mountain are eager to know where it's filmed and when.
By Lucy Wigley • Published
-
The Umbrella Academy: Season 3 ending explained and will there be a season 4?
Have you binged season 3 of The Umbrella Academy and are looking for answers? Our handy guide has you covered.
By Lucy Wigley • Published