BritBox UK Orders Original The Dry

BritBox UK has commissioned the original comedy-drama series The Dry, written by Nancy Harris (The Good Karma Hospital, Dates) and directed by Paddy Breathnach (Viva, Rosie).

Set in Dublin, the eight-part series centers on Shiv, who returns to her hometown after years of partying in London, sober and full of good intentions—but finds it challenging to stay that way back among her family. The Dry will debut on BritBox UK in 2022.

The Dry stars Roisin Gallagher (The Fall, Nowhere Special), Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones, The Terror), Pom Boyd (Vanity Fair, Frank of Ireland), Siobhán Cullen (Origin, The Limehouse Golem), Moe Dunford (The Dig, Vikings) and newcomer Adam Richardson. It is produced by Element Pictures, in association with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and ITV Studios, in partnership with RTÉ.

Emma Norton and Michael Dawson are executive producing for Element alongside company founders Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe. Harris is also executive producing.

Will Harrison, managing director for BritBox UK, said: “We are delighted to be working with Element Pictures, Nancy, Paddy and the team to bring the Sheridans’ story to life, and are looking forward to sharing The Dry with our subscribers next year.”

Element Pictures’ producers added: “In The Dry, Nancy Harris has created an irreverent, hilarious and deeply moving story of addiction, recovery and fractured family relationships. We are thrilled to be working with Nancy, the inimitable Paddy Breathnach and our massively talented Irish cast and crew to bring the chaotic world of the Sheridan family to the BritBox audience.”

Andrew Byrne, project manager for television at Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said: “We are delighted to support this emotional and powerful Irish TV drama from Element Pictures and the talented team behind The Dry. This is a great example of the caliber and scale of Irish story-telling and scripted series, which are translating to audiences across the globe.”

Sam Atwell, development executive at RTÉ, said: “We’re very excited and proud to be collaborating with such a talented team in Element Pictures, Nancy Harris and Paddy Breathnach, and the wonderful cast of The Dry to bring this heartfelt, mischievously funny and emotionally impacting Irish story to the world.”

Harris added: “I’m over the moon to be working with Element Pictures, Paddy Breathnach and this spectacular cast of insanely talented Irish actors. It’s a dream collaboration, and I can’t wait to bring the BritBox audience this family comedy-drama, which pivots on the oxymoron of giving up drink in Ireland.”

Breathnach commented: “I’m really delighted to be working with Element Pictures again and be part of bringing Nancy Harris’s extraordinary scripts to the screen. We have a truly brilliant cast of Irish actors on board and I can’t wait to get started.”