Channel 4 is heading back to one of the most dramatic moments in modern British history with ‘The Siege‘, a six-part limited series based on the bestselling book by Ben Macintyre (SAS: Rogue Heroes, Operation Mincemeat). The high-stakes drama is adapted by three-time Emmy and WGA award-winning Will Smith (Slow Horses, Veep) and brings together a heavyweight cast led by Danny Dyer (Rivals, Mr Big Stuff), David Morrissey (Sherwood, Daddy Issues) and Motaz Malhees (The Voice of Hind Rajab, 200 Metres).
Directed by BAFTA winner Lewis Arnold (Time, Des) and executive produced by BAFTA winner Patrick Spence (Mr Bates vs The Post Office, A Spy Among Friends) for AC Chapter One, the series promises a gripping, human take on the infamous Iranian Embassy siege of 1980.
Set on 30th April 1980, the drama recounts the moment six armed Arab Iranian separatists stormed the Iranian Embassy in London, taking 26 hostages and demanding autonomy for their people. Over six tense days, gunmen, hostages and police wrestled for control while the SAS prepared a daring assault that would be broadcast around the world.
Channel 4 describes the series as coupling “thriller tension with poignancy, insight and humour,” delivering what it calls the definitive account of a pivotal moment when Britain and the world held its breath.
The ensemble cast is stacked. Joining Dyer, Morrissey and Malhees are Leo Bill (Foundation, Taboo), Kevin Doyle (Happy Valley, Downton Abbey), Alex Jennings (The Crown, A Very English Scandal), Alexej Manvelov (Dept Q, Jack Ryan), Sara Shirpey (Taelgia, Top Dog), Omid Djalili (His Dark Materials, The Mummy), Nicola Stephenson (Safe House, Maternal), Stephen Campbell Moore (Masters Of The Air, The Gold), Sean Pertwee (Gotham, Dog Soldiers), Enzo Cilenti (Black Mirror, The Beekeeper), Sam Troughton (Black Doves, Lockerbie: A Search for The Truth), Iddo Goldberg (Peaky Blinders, Snow Piercer), Armin Karima (Prisoner 951, Sex Education), Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing, Black Mirror), Moe Bar-El (Alien: Earth, Tehran), Kavé Niku (Prisoner 951, Tehran), Nina Mahdavi (Cul-de-sac, Ambivalence), Catayoune Ahmadi (Tehran, Reading Lolita in Tehran), Lorne MacFadyen (Starstruck, On The Sea), Aneurin Barnard (Dunkirk, Time), Mark Bonnar (Guilt, Dept Q) and Gwilym Lee (Bohemian Rhapsody, SAS: Rogue Heroes).
Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer, Channel 4, said:
“The Iranian embassy siege and the daring raid which ended it was an iconic moment that forged the ferocious reputation of the modern SAS. The show is a heart-stopping, emotional thriller that reveals the little-known motivations of the hapless hostage-takers and the very human reality of what went on inside the embassy as the world looked on and Britain’s most lethal soldiers practiced their high stakes assault. It will change the way people understand the siege and reveal how close the famous SAS operation came to disaster. We’re thrilled to be working with Will Smith, Ben Macintyre, Lewis Arnold, Patrick Spence and the remarkable cast. This major commission underlines Channel 4’s commitment to dialling up exceptional drama in its slate of original British programming.”
Alexandre Piel, Deputy Head of Drama, ARTE France, added:
“The Siege is our first coproduction with UK, and we are truly honoured to be associated with Channel 4 on this fantastic project. Will Smith is a brilliant author; his adaptation of Ben Macintyre’s novel masterfully blends a gripping thriller with the emotional depth of this tragic event.
He made it an intense, moving, and funny story all at once. It has been wonderful to stand at Patrick Spence’s side in his adventure. It’s a unique opportunity, the one that allows you to witness the unfolding of a historical moment turning into disaster in front of the whole world. And we are also more than happy that this project enables us to have worked for the first time with the esteemed Channel 4 team.”
Commissioned by Gwawr Lloyd and Gemma Boswell for Channel 4, the drama is produced by AC Chapter One and co-produced with Universal International Studios and ARTE France. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution will handle international sales.
‘The Siege‘ does not yet have a premiere date but will air on Channel 4 in the UK. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
Login to Geektown