Eagle-eyed viewers were left scratching their heads just minutes into the latest episode of after a glaring inconsistency popped up in the opening scenes.

The hit series, set and filmed in Morecambe Bay, follows family liaison officer DS Jenn Townsend as she's tasked with investigating a horrific crime. As she joined DI Tony Manning on the scene off a cliffside after discovering a missing man's unconscious and bloodied body, the pair began discussing the need for forensics to gather evidence.

But on two separate occasions the "late hour" of the day was referenced, once to tell Townsend she didn't need to be here "at this hour of the night" and the other to tell forensics to wait until tomorrow to begin their work. Fans were left confused by the comments because it was clearly daylight during the pivotal scene.

One baffled viewer wrote: "What time of night is that, Tony? It only looks about 6PM."

Another posted: "#TheBay they are talking about 'this time of night' but it looks like mid-afternoon," while a third added, "is it just me but they keep saying it's so late at night but it's clearly daytime you can see the bloody sun in the sky!"

The Bay returned after a two-year hiatus, with fans praising the Lancashire crime drama despite the mixed reviews.

The return sees Townsend back at work shortly after her father's death, now balancing her own grief with a case involving a mother grieving her daughter's tragic death.

This season of the show welcomes Endeavour's Shaun Evans to the cast, fresh from his role as the young Inspector Morse, which ended in 2023. Evans, who refined his directing skills through numerous Endeavour episodes, now joins the team behind the camera. Daniel Ryan, known for his role as DI Tony Manning in The Bay, admitted to feeling nervous about collaborating with the renowned actor.

Daniel revealed to The Mirror: "I was very nervous to work with Shaun, interestingly. I guess possibly because he's played the king of the cops, he's played the cop of all cops.

"You're getting directed by Morse and you just think 'Oh, please don't think I'm rubbish', that was my main concern. 'Please don't see through my pretence'."

The star was full of praise for Shaun, describing him as "very good to work with" and promising that the new series "looks amazing". Marsha, who plays Jenn, also had nothing but compliments for the director.

She explained how his past acting experience helped forge a bond with the cast. She shared: "I would say Shaun's experience as an actor really formed him as a director. It was one of the most joyous experiences I have had."