BBC announces Dear England and This City Is Ours

The BBC has commissioned Dear England, a new drama series about Gareth Southgate and the England men’s football team, based on James Graham’s (Sherwood, The Way, Quiz) smash hit National Theatre play of the same name. Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale, Shakespeare in Love) will star as Gareth Southgate. Rupert Goold (Judy, King Charles III, The Hollow Crown), who directed Dear England on stage, will direct the series.

The four-part drama will be written by James Graham and made for BBC One and BBC iPlayer by Left Bank Pictures (The Crown, Quiz, Sitting in Limbo).

It’s time to change the game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t the England team win at their own game?

With the worst track record for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land.

Dear England is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams, based on extensive research and interviews. The stage play premiered at the National Theatre to five-star reviews and a sell-out run in 2023, before transferring to London’s West End.  

 Andy Harries, CEO of Left Bank Pictures and executive producer on Dear England, says: “Dear England is a theatrical tour de force from one of the most exciting playwrights of our generation. Left Bank Pictures are thrilled to be working with James Graham once again and I’m certain that the TV adaptation of Dear England will be as ground-breaking as the play itself.”

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “Dear England was a back-of-the-net triumph on stage, and we could not be happier to work with James Graham, Joseph Fiennes, Rupert Goold and the team to give it the perfect home on the BBC. A story about the England team, football, national identity and so much more, this is hugely entertaining must-see television drama.”

Dear England (4x60) was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. It is written by James Graham and will be directed by Rupert Goold. Executive producers are Andy Harries for Left Bank Pictures, Jo McClellan for the BBC, James Graham and Rupert Goold. Sony Pictures Television will distribute the series internationally.

The BBC has commissioned This City is Ours, an epic new crime drama created by writer Stephen Butchard (The Good Mothers, The Last Kingdom, Five Daughters) and made by Left Bank Pictures (The Crown, Quiz, Sitting in Limbo) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The eight-part series will be set and filmed in Liverpool. Sony Pictures Television will distribute the series internationally.

This City is Ours is the story of Michael, a man who for all of his adult life has been involved in organised crime... but for the first time in his life, Michael is in love. For the first time in his life, he sees beyond the day-to-day, he sees a future: something to win and something to lose - Diana.

This City is Ours tells the story of Michael and Diana's love affair, set against the disintegration of Michael’s crime gang. For years, together with his friend Ronnie, Michael has successfully been bringing cocaine into the City and beyond, directly from Columbia; but when a shipment goes missing, then he knows their Kingdom is under attack.
 

This City explores what happens when Ronnie’s son Jamie decides he wants to inherit their kingdom and that there is no longer a place for Michael at the table. Both Michael and Jamie have bold ideas to modernise the gang and they will battle for control of it. But Michael’s biggest battle will be to save the woman he loves and the child he has always wanted.

This is a story about family and love destroyed and corrupted by ambition, pride and greed. It’s a story about power: what we will do to secure and keep it.

Stephen Butchard, This City is Ours creator, lead writer and executive producer says: “I’m so excited to be working with the brilliant Left Bank and the wonderful commissioning team at BBC Drama. Set in the very real, chilling, but mostly unseen universe of organised crime, This City is Ours is a story of love, greed, ambition and power - and what we will do to seize and hold on to that power.”

Andy Harries, CEO of Left Bank Pictures and executive producer on This City is Ours says: “This City is Ours is a visceral, gripping dynastic tale from one of the UK’s most exciting writers.  The scripts pack a real punch and we’re thrilled that the BBC have given the series their backing.”

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “This City is Ours is character-driven crime drama that demands to be seen. Stephen Butchard’s vibrant and propulsive scripts offer a new take on the genre, mixing power politics with the brutality of gang life. It’s drama at its most tense!”

This City is Ours (8x60) was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. It was created by Stephen Butchard, who serves as lead writer, with Robbie McNeill writing further episodes. The director is Saul Dibb (Journey’s End, The Sixth Commandment). The producer is Simon Maloney (Time, I May Destroy You). Executive producers are Andy Harries, Rebecca Hodgson and Sian McWilliams for Left Bank Pictures, Stephen Butchard and Saul Dibb, and Jo McClellan for the BBC. Sony Pictures Television will distribute the series internationally.

This City is Ours will film in and around Liverpool, with additional filming in Spain, later this year.