The BBC has released a trailer and set a February premiere date for the brand new crime drama ‘Virdee‘ from AA Dhand, based on his much-loved novels, with Staz Nair in the title role.
Set and filmed in Bradford, Virdee tells the story of Detective Harry Virdee (Nair), a dedicated cop whose personal life is in chaos. He is in a loving relationship with his wife, Saima, but he is estranged from his family who disapprove of his interfaith marriage.
A turf war is brewing in the underbelly of the city with the police losing its grip on gang rivalries as they spill out onto the streets of Bradford. When a young dealer is murdered, Harry’s duty to uphold the law clashes with his links to members of the crime gangs. He must hunt down whoever is targeting those around him.
Whilst the killer holds the entire city to ransom, Harry realises that he is going to need the help of his brother-in-law Riaz, a drugs kingpin who runs the largest cartel in the county. Pulled together in an alliance that could ruin them both, Harry must make a choice: save himself and his family or save his city. He will not be able to do both.
The drama stars Staz Nair (Rebel Moon, Game of Thrones) as Detective Harry Virdee. The series also stars Aysha Kala (Criminal Record, Indian Summers) as Saima Virdee, Harry’s wife. Nina Singh (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) plays Tara Virdee, Harry’s niece and a keen crime reporter, Elizabeth Berrington (Good Omens, The Nevers) as DS Clare Conway, Danyal Ismail (All the Lights Still Burning, The Outrun) as DS Amin, with Vikash Bhai (Crossfire, Limbo) as Harry’s brother-in-law Riaz Hyatt. Kulvinder Ghir (Foundation, Blinded By The Light) and Sudha Bhuchar (Expats, Rules of the Game) as Harry Virdee’s parents, Ranjit and Jyoti.
The cast also includes Tomi May (Justice League), Andi Jashy (Gangs of London), Hussina Raja (Look at Us), Ashkay Kumar (Double Blind), Madiha Ansari (Home Sick), Jason Patel (Unicorns), Conor Lowson (The Bay), and Rupert Procter (Doctors).
The six-episode series is adapted for the screen by AA Dhand and directed by Mark Tonderai (Doctor Who, Foundation). The series is executive produced by Paul Trijbits (Jane Eyre, The Casual Vacancy, Saving Mr Banks) for Magical Society, AA Dhand, and Jo McClellan for the BBC. Virdee is a Magical Society production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer in association with Screen Yorkshire. Cineflix Rights is the exclusive worldwide distribution partner outside of the UK.
‘Virdee‘ premieres Monday 10 February 2025 on BBC One at 9pm, with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer from 6am the same day.
