The first images have been unveiled for Riot Women, an upcoming drama from BAFTA-award-winning writer Sally Wainwright, renowned for her work on hits like Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax. The six-part series, set to air on BBC1 later this year, explores the lives of five women who form an unlikely punk band.
The series stars Joanna Scanlan (The Thick of It), Tamsin Greig (Friday Night Dinner), Lorraine Ashbourne (Sherwood, Alma’s Not Normal), Rosalie Craig (Moonflower Murders), and Amelia Bullmore (The Buccaneers, Scott and Bailey). The women form the band to compete in a talent contest, and as they write their first song, they discover they have much more to express than they initially realized.
In addition to their musical venture, the series delves into their personal lives, portraying the complexities of balancing jobs, family responsibilities, and challenging relationships. According to the BBC, Riot Women is a celebration of friendship, music, and the strength of women who defy age and societal expectations. As the band’s journey unfolds, long-buried secrets surface, threatening to unravel everything and creating tensions, especially between two key characters, Kitty and Beth, the band’s creative leaders.
Filmed in and around Hebden Bridge, the series was produced by Drama Republic in collaboration with BritBox. Wainwright, who also serves as director and executive producer, expressed her excitement for the series, saying, “I am having a whole new buzz of excitement about the show as we bring it together in the edit, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
Among the emerging talents featured in the drama is Brodie Nkome, a 12-year-old actor from BOLT Academy in Keighley, who plays Rocco, the grandson of Ashbourne’s character. His mother, Vicky Small, praised the experience, saying, “Working with Sally Wainwright has been brilliant. The cast on set welcomed Brodie with open arms. BOLT Academy is more than just school to him—it’s his family.”
The drama, which also stars Anne Reid, Sue Johnston, Peter Davison, and Claire Skinner, will include music from the band ARXX, adding an authentic punk edge to the narrative.
Riot Women is set to be a standout series this year, blending compelling storytelling with themes of personal growth, resilience, and music, all while introducing new talent from local performing arts schools like BOLT Academy.
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