Richard Gadd is the man of the moment, having wowed viewers with his new hit show Baby Reindeer, which he created and starred in. The Netflix drama is the current number-one TV show worldwide on the streaming platform - but what is the star up to next? Find out more about his exciting new drama with the BBC…
Richard is set to write and star in a new six-part drama, Lions, which will follow two men across the decades. The show, which will be filmed and is set in Glasgow, has been described as “imaginative and one-of-a-kind”.
So what is it about? The official synopsis reads: “When Niall's estranged 'brother' Ruben shows up at his wedding, it leads to an explosion of violence that catapults us back through their lives.
“Spanning almost forty years from the 1980s to the present day, this ambitious series will cover the highs and lows of the brothers' relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults – with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way. It will capture the wild energy of a changing city - a changing world, even - and try to get to the bottom of the difficult question... What does it mean to be a man?”
Speaking about the show, Richard said: “When I first started talking about this project with the wonderful Tally Garner and Morven Reid, it was love at first sight. For them, anyway. I kept it purely professional. I am absolutely thrilled to be working with them in bringing Ruben and Niall to the screen alongside Lindsay Salt, Gaynor Holmes, and the incredible BBC team.
“It is a dream come true to be part of such a historic broadcaster with a reputation for bringing the best comedy and drama (and comedy-drama for that matter) to our screens. A dream which will likely wear off when it comes to tight writing deadlines and rainy shooting days on the streets of Glasgow. Just joking. I have never been happier to work on anything in my life and I would like to thank Tally, Morven, and Gaynor for everything - as well as the inimitable Lindsay Salt who has always been my biggest champion and to whom I will always owe a great debt of gratitude.”
Tally, who is an executive producer for Mam Tor Productions, added: “My fellow exec Morven Reid and I are unbelievably excited to be embarking on the journey of making the extraordinarily multi-talented Richard Gadd's new show. Richard has that rare gift of creating characters who challenge your senses while stealing your heart, and in Ruben and Niall he has created something very special.”
Director of BBC Drama Lindsay Salt was full of praise for the show, adding: “This is a relationship you really haven’t seen before, and we can't wait to unpack it across six surprising, moving, funny, highly original episodes.” An airdate has yet to be released, so watch this space!