The Newsroom‘s Emily Mortimer (Mackenzie McHale) has given us an exact return date for season 2 filming! Previously we had heard rumours of November filming for the HBO drama, now we know exactly when our favourite news team will be back to work.

In an otherwise fairly bland HBO Connect Q&A discussing The Newsroom, Emily Mortimer has let slip the filming date for season 2. According to Mortimer, “we start shooting on November 12 this year.” If you’re hoping for controversy, don’t forget this start date is “just after the election, so that’s going to make things pretty spicy.”

So what does this mean for us Newsroom fanatics? Aaron Sorkin stated in his own HBO Connect Q&A that “the writing staff and I begin three months before everyone else.” This means, while we have all been dealing with the misery of life post the season 1 finale, Sorkin has sneakily been penning new episodes.

Sorkin has been playing spoilers close to his chest. All we know about season 2 is the return of two guest stars, David Krumholtz and Adam Arkin. Wondering what news stories may turn up in season 2? Check out our Newsroom season 2 predictions for all the American and international headlines we could see next year.

Previously, we weren’t sure if we would see the conclusion to the 2012 American presidential election in season 2. Given the dates now, Sorkin could spend the entirety of season 2 building up to election night. And don’t we all want to see Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) anchoring a News Night election special, showing the fictional coverage Sorkin would have liked to see in November?

According to show-creator Aaron Sorkin, The Newsroom season 2 will air in June 2013.

Are you excited for this start date? Given the show isn’t airing until June, is it sooner than expected?