Quiz, Brexit Writer James Graham Sets BBC Drama Sherwood

James Graham, creator of hit ITV, AMC and Sony show “Quiz,” and writer of Emmy nominated “Brexit: The Uncivil War,” has created crime drama “Sherwood” for U.K. broadcaster BBC.

Inspired in part by real events, the six-part series is set in the Nottinghamshire mining village where Graham grew up. The contemporary series sees two murders shatter an already fractured community leading to one of the largest manhunts in British history. Suspicion is rife and the tragic murders threaten to inflame historic divisions sparked during the miners’ strike that tore families apart three decades before.

Graham reunites with House Productions, the company behind “Brexit,” for the series. He will serve as an executive producer on the series. Lewis Arnold (“Time”) is lead director and an executive producer, and the producer is Rebecca Hodgson (“The Irregulars”). Juliette Howell, Tessa Ross and Harriet Spencer are executive producers for House Productions and Ben Irving will executive produce for BBC.

“It means the world to have this opportunity to bring the voices of a community I grew up in to BBC One,” Graham said. “So much is spoken about the divisions and difficulties in these ‘Red Wall’ towns, but they’re not always understood. I feel so honored to be able to tell a fictionalized story about a very real trauma, but with the humor and heart and resilience of the people I know and love there.”

Popular on Variety

‘Red Wall’ towns are a generalized term for places in the U.K., usually mining or industrial areas, that traditionally support the Labour party.

“Sherwood” was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer, and Piers Wenger, director of BBC drama. BBC Studios will distribute the series internationally.

“In blending real and fictional events, James has created a penetrating, heartfelt and purposeful thriller which exposes the tensions and fault lines at the heart of modern Britain,” Wenger said. ” ‘Sherwood’ is set to be an exceptional series by one of our greatest dramatists and we are proud to be bringing it to BBC One.”

Juliette Howell and Tessa Ross, of House Productions, said: “James has written an extraordinarily powerful drama, which has immense heart, wit and humanity – and, as ever with his writing, it’s a pertinent piece for our times.”

Upcoming dramas from House include “Life After Life,” an adaptation of the Kate Atkinson bestselling novel for BBC One and “Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle,” an adaptation of Stuart Turton’s Costa award-winning novel for Netflix.

Filming on “Sherwood” will begin later in 2021 in Nottinghamshire.

Must Read

Film
COVER | Sebastian Stan Tells All: Becoming Donald Trump and Starring in 2024’s Most Controversial Movie
By Andrew Wallenstein 2 weeks

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXN9jq2taJ%2BcpK%2BiuI6qrKKyXZe%2FpsTIrWSjmZ2awG6z0ZqfmqVdl6%2BkedKhnKuvn6Sxbn2RbGtxcWhmgHV7

Jenniffer Sheldon

Update: 2024-07-24

JiveSync