BBC Orders Mini-Series ‘Inside Man’ From Steven Moffat & ‘Ridley Road’ From Sarah Solemani
The BBC has picked up two new four-part dramas it has been announced. ‘Inside Man‘ from former ‘Doctor Who’ showrunner Steven Moffat, and ‘Ridley Road‘ from Sarah Solemani (‘Barry’, ‘Aphrodite Fry’), based on the critically acclaimed novel by Jo Bloom.
‘Inside Man’ is a four-part crime thriller, produced by Hartswood Films for BBC One, follows a prisoner on death row in the US and a woman trapped in a cellar under an English vicarage, who cross paths in the most unexpected way…
“In our ongoing relationship with Steven and Sue (Vertue), they sent us this mini-series which Steven had written on spec and we commissioned it instantly,” commented Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. “The script is a page-turner and grips you from the outset, and Charlotte and I couldn’t resist bringing this story to BBC One.”
Moffat has not been kicking back and relaxing since handing over the keys to the Tardis in 2017. Along with this new mini-series, he has been working with fellow Whovian writer and ‘Sherlock’ co-creator Mark Gatiss to bring ‘Dracula’ to the BBC. He is also stepping back into the “Wibbly-wobbly, timey wimey” stuff for HBO, who picked up his adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger’s novel ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife‘ to series.
‘Ridley Road’ is a thriller set against the backdrop of a swinging sixties London we haven’t seen: an East End world where far-right fascism is on the rise. When Vivien Epstein follows her lover into danger and he is caught between life and death, Vivien finds herself going undercover with the fascists, not only for him but for the sake of her country.
The 4×60-minute drama will be produced by RED Production Company and Bafta-award-winning executive producer Nicola Shindler (‘Years and Years’, ‘Happy Valley’, ‘Trust Me’, ‘Safe’).
“Britain’s relationship with fascism is closer and more alive than we like to think,” writer Sarah Solemani, who undertook extensive research into the period for her work on the series. “Luckily, so is our rich heritage of fighting it. Jo Bloom’s gripping book revealed a darker side of sixties London and the staggering contribution the Jewish community made in the battle against racism. I am thrilled to be working with RED and the BBC to bring this little-known slice of British history to the screen.”
Solemani won a Writers Guild America Award for her work on HBO’s ‘Barry’ and is also known for her acting roles in the Bafta award-winning series ‘Him & Her’, ‘No Offence’ and ‘Bridget Jones’ Baby’. In the US she is currently writing an original comedy-drama with Sarah Jessica Parker’s company Pretty Matches Productions.
“Sarah’s brilliant scripts tell a unique story of doomed love and undercover espionage against a backdrop of a fascist uprising in 1960s London,” adds Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. “This story couldn’t feel more timely and we are hugely indebted Sarah for bringing this story to life in her own style.”
There are no premiere dates announced for either drama, but ‘Inside Man‘ is set to go into production in late 2020, and ‘Ridley Road‘ will announce casting in due course. We’ll let you know when we hear more.
