The Secrets
The Secrets is a strand of five stand-alone dramas for BBC One to support new talent, working with four of Britain’s best upcoming writers - Nick Payne, Sarah Solemani, Elinor Cook and Ben Ockrent.
Published: 29 August 2014
I am delighted to be part of this new strand which really illustrates what the BBC stands for. Working with new and talented writers along with the best actors the UK has to offer is a real privilege.
The strand also brings with it some of the best actors in the UK, including Olivia Colman, Alison Steadman, Joanne Froggatt, Emilia Fox, Ben Chaplin, Helen Baxendale and Ashley Walters.
Directed by BAFTA winner Dominic Savage, each film takes an inciting incident and, from this starting point, five different stories are told in distinctive and original voices.
Dominic Savage says: “I am delighted to be part of this new strand which really illustrates what the BBC stands for. Working with new and talented writers along with the best actors the UK has to offer is a real privilege.”
The Secrets is made by Working Title Television. The executive producers are Juliette Howell, Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan for Working Title Television, and Lucy Richer for the BBC. The producer is Guy Heeley.
It was commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning and Danny Cohen, Director, BBC Television (former Controller, BBC One).
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Episodes
Episode 1: THE DILEMMA - Sunday 7 September
Written by Nick Payne
Staring Olivia Colman, Alison Steadman, Steve Oram
Episode 2: THE CONVERSATION - Monday 8 September
Written by Sarah Solemani
Staring Sarah Solemani, Rupert Evans, Michael Gould, Harriet Thorpe
Episode 3: THE VISITOR - Tuesday 9 September
Written by Ben Ockrent
Starring Anthony Welsh, Paige Meade, Helen Baxendale, Anthony Flanagan
Episode 4: THE LIE - Wednesday 10 September
Written by Elinor Cook
Staring Joanne Froggatt, Ben Chaplin, Emilia Fox
Episode 5: THE RETURN - Friday 12 September
Written by Nick Payne and Dominic Savage
Starring Ashley Walters, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Tosin Cole
The writers
Nick Payne
Nick studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama and the University of York. He won the prestigious George Devine Award in 2009 with his play If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet and made his debut at the Royal Court theatre in September 2010 with his comedy Wanderlust.
In January 2012, Nick's play, Constellations, opened at the Royal Court Upstairs starring Rafe Spall and Sally Hawkins, and was directed by Michael Longhurst. Constellations transferred to the West End in November 2012. It won the Evening Standard Best Play Award and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Play. Constellations transfers to Broadway in late 2014, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Michael Longhurst.
In August 2013, Nick's dark comedy, The Same Deep Water As Me, premièred at the Donmar Warehouse, starring Nigel Lindsay and Daniel Mays. It was nominated for the 2014 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.
Sarah Solemani
Best known for her roles in BBC Three comedies Bad Education and Him And Her, for which Sarah received the Best Comedy Actress awards at the RTS Awards 2011, Sarah’s writing talents span theatre, TV, film and radio.
Sarah’s plays have been showcased at the Old Vic and Soho Theatre. She has written the play The Crazy Sexy Cool Girl's Fan Club for the National Theatre's 2015 'Connections' Season. In 2013, Sarah starred in Sky Living HD’s Aphrodite Fry, which she wrote for the channel’s Love Matters series.
In the US, Sarah has a blind pilot order and script deal for her comedy Blow Up Dolls.
Elinor Cook
Elinor was the winner of the George Devine Award 2013 for Most Promising Playwright. Her short play, The Circle Game, was the winner of the Old Vic New Voices Time Warner Ignite 3 competition and This Is Where We Got To When You Came In, an interactive performance co-written by Elinor and Non Zero One, was awarded Best Entertainment at the Off West End Awards. Elinor’s play Microwave was short listed for the Old Vic/Theatre 503 Award for new writing.
In 2012, Elinor was part of Paines Plough’s ‘The Big Room’ in association with Channel 4. She was also part of the Royal Court Writing Super Group in 2012, during which she wrote her play The Girls’ Guide To Saving The World.
She is currently writing a new play as part of the 2015 National Theatre Connections programme and is soon to begin an attachment to the NT Studio.
Ben Ockrent
Ben’s first play, The Pleasure Principle, was staged at the Tristan Bates Theatre in October 2007. He participated in The Great Game: Afghanistan, a series of commissioned plays about Afghanistan for the Tricycle Theatre in 2009, with his work Honey. His latest play, Breeders, will soon open at St James Theatre, directed by Tamara Harvey
In 2013, Ben wrote and directed the short film, Dust, staring Alan Rickman and Jodie Whittaker. For television, Ben has written episodes for Waterloo Road, Material Girl and E4’s Youngers.
