Scripted

The BBC has released first look pictures of This City Is Ours, the brand-new crime drama from Stephen Butchard (The Good Mothers, The Last Kingdom, Five Daughters), directed by BAFTA award-winning Saul Dibb (The Salisbury Poisonings, The Sixth Commandment), who serves as Lead Director, John Hayes (Nightsleeper, Dublin Murders), and Eshref Reybrouck (Undercover). Set and filmed in Liverpool, the eight-part series is made by Left Bank Pictures for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Worldwide distribution is handled by Sony Pictures Television.

The new pictures give a first look at the This City Is Ours ensemble, including two-time BAFTA TV Award-winning actor Sean Bean (Marriage, Time) as gang leader Ronnie Phelan, James Nelson-Joyce (Bird, A Thousand Blows) as Ronnie’s friend, Michael Kavanagh, Hannah Onslow (Empire of Light, This Is Going to Hurt) as Diana Williams, Michael’s partner, Jack McMullen (Hijack, Ford V Ferrari) as Ronnie’s son, Jamie Phelan, and Julie Graham (Shetland, Time) as Elaine, head of the Phelan family alongside her husband Ronnie.

Set and filmed in Liverpool, with additional filming in Spain, This City is Ours is the story of Michael, a man who for all of his adult life has been involved in organised crime, working for his friend and the gang leader Ronnie. When Ronnie begins to hint at retirement, Michael too begins to imagine another life. Because, 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 is the story of Michael and Diana's love affair, set against the disintegration of Michael’s crime gang. For years, together with Ronnie, Michael has successfully been bringing cocaine into the City and beyond, directly from Columbia; but when a shipment goes missing, he knows their Kingdom is under attack.

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 O’Neill writing further episodes. The directors are Saul Dibb (The Salisbury Poisonings, The Sixth Commandment), John Hayes (Nightsleeper, Dublin Murders) and Eshref Reybrouck (Undercover). The producer is Simon Maloney (Peaky Blinders, 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 and Sami El Hadi for the BBC. Additional funding and support came from the Liverpool Film Office through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s LCR Production Fund.

This City Is Ours will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK in the Spring. Sony Pictures Television will distribute the series internationally.