The BBC has released the trailer for This Town, the story of an extended family and a group of young people who are drawn into an explosive and thrilling music scene in the Midlands in the 1980s, created by Steven Knight. The six-part series will be available in full on BBC iPlayer from 6am on Sunday 31 March, and have a double premiere with episodes one and two airing at 9pm on BBC One on Sunday 31 March and Monday 1 April, respectively.
Produced by Kudos (a Banijay UK company) and Nebulastar for the BBC, co-produced with Mercury Studios, in association with Kudos North and Stigma Films, This Town opens in 1981 at a moment of huge social tension and unrest. Against this backdrop, it tells the story of a group of young people fighting to choose their own paths in life, each in need of the second chance that music offers. It was filmed on location in the Birmingham area, and at Steven Knight’s new Digbeth Loc. Film and TV Studios.
This Town stars an exciting cast including Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey, Anatomy of a Scandal), Nicholas Pinnock (For Life, Marcella), David Dawson (My Policeman, The Last Kingdom) alongside rising talent including Levi Brown (Loss and Return), Jordan Bolger (The Woman King, The Book of Boba Fett), Ben Rose (Line of Duty, The Innocents), Eve Austin (You, Our Ladies) Freya Parks (The School of Good and Evil, Here We Go) and Shyvonne Ahmmad (Annika, Karen Pirie). Geraldine James (Back To Life, Anne with an E), Peter McDonald (The Batman, Dublin Murders), John Heffernan (Dracula, The Pursuit of Love), Stefan Asante-Boateng (Coronation Street, Suffering), Séainín Brennan (The Fall, Hidden), George Somner (This Is Going To Hurt, Sex Education) and Brendan Gibson (Peaky Blinders, Mr Selfridge) will also feature in the series.
The series is co-produced with Mercury Studios (part of the Universal Music Group) who have helped create the musical backdrop for Knight’s incredible story. Acclaimed producer Dan Carey, Brit and Mercury nominated musician, novelist and poet Kae Tempest, and singer-songwriter ESKA have written the songs performed by the band in the series. Six leading contemporary artists - Celeste, Gregory Porter, Olivia Dean, Ray Laurél, Sekou and Self Esteem – have each recorded a cover version which will play over the end credits of an episode. The songs, which will be announced at a later date, include both timeless classics and the iconic hits of the era.
This Town is created, written and executive produced by Steven Knight. It is directed by Paul Whittington and produced by Tim Whitby and Charlotte Surtees. Executive Producers are Karen Wilson, Katie McAleese and Martin Haines for Kudos, and Jo McClellan for the BBC. Matthew James Wilkinson (Stigma Films), Nick Angel and Laura Conway (Kudos North) serve as Co-Executive Producers, Alice Webb and Marc Robinson (Mercury Studios) as Co-Producers. Banijay Rights will handle international distribution for the series.
TX details:
- All episodes of This Town will be available on BBC iPlayer from 6am Sunday 31 March
- This Town begins 9pm, Sunday 31 March on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
- Episode two airs 9pm, Monday 1 April on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, the series then continues weekly on Sunday nights
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