Filming got underway in Manchester today for a new television series by acclaimed Dr Who writer Russell T Davis.
The BBC One drama Years and Years will star two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson (Late Night, The Children Act), alongside a stellar cast including Rory Kinnear (Spectre, Peterloo), T’Nia Miller (Marcella, Obey), Russell Tovey (Quantico, The History Boys) and Jessica Hynes (Spaced, Paddington 2).
The six-part series focuses on one Manchester family’s complex lives over a turbulent 15-year period.
A press release from the BBC earlier this year described the project as: “As Britain is rocked by unstable political, economic and technological advances, we follow the Lyons family as their complex lives converge on one crucial night in 2019.
“Then, over the next 15 years, the twists and turns of everyday life are explored as we find out if this ordinary family could ever change the world.”
Davies, who also wrote the hit A Very British Scandal, told the BBC: “This is a dream cast, put together by Andy Pryor, the man who found Jodie Whittaker to be Doctor Who. I’m very lucky, and very excited to start filming.”
Thompson will star as Vivienne Rock, an ex-celebrity turned political figure who’s controversial and divisive rhetoric has seen her quickly rise to power.
The drama marks another collaboration between screenwriter Davis and producer Nicola Schindler (CEO at StudioCanal UK and the producer behind Happy Valley), whose working relationship includes previous hit series such as Queer As Folk, Cucumber and Casanova.
Schindler told the BBC: ““No other writer could have written such an original, important and entertaining state-of-the-nation drama, with a family at its centre that an audience will want to spend time with. I’m thrilled a cast of this calibre will bring them to life.”
The drama is scheduled to film until March 2019.
