Ridley Road Readies for BBC One & PBS Masterpiece

Ridley Road, a four-part thriller series from STUDIOCANAL’s RED Production Company, has gone into production.

Commissioned for BBC One and co-produced with PBS Masterpiece, the series tells the story of a young Jewish woman, Vivien Epstein (Aggi O’Casey), who falls in love with a member of the 62 Group. Rejecting her comfortable middle-class life in Manchester, she joins the fight against fascism in London. The drama is based on the Ridley Road novel by Jo Bloom, adapted by writer Sarah Solemani. Lisa Mulcahy (Years and Years, Blood) directs all four episodes.

In addition to O’Casey, Ridley Road stars Rory Kinnear, Tamzin Outhwaite, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Eddie Marsan, Samantha Spiro, Rita Tushingham, Danny Hatchard and Tom Varey. STUDIOCANAL is managing the international rights for the series.

O’Casey said: “Sarah Solemani has blown me away with the detail, sensitivity, and complexity with which she has written Vivien. I can’t wait to bring this vital and little-known story to life”.

Varey said: “I’m so proud to be working on such a powerful, beautiful, important story, the scripts are amazing, and I can’t wait to bring them to life. I’m excited to be in the company of actors that I have looked up to and admired for so long.”

Kinnear said: “When I received the scripts from RED Production Company, I was already looking forward to working with them again. Sarah’s scripts had me hooked and to work with so many interesting characters is something that was hugely appealing. I can’t wait to get started.”

Solemani said: “A young hairdresser from Manchester makes an unlikely hero in this little-known slice of British history. But in these unprecedented times, it is the unlikely heroes whose stories are now worth telling. Britain’s relationship with fascism is closer and more alive than we like to think. Fortunately, so too is our rich heritage of beating it. Honored to bring the story of Ridley Road to the BBC and Masterpiece.”

Ayela Butt, BBC commissioning executive, said: “Sarah’s brilliant scripts have drawn together an extraordinary ensemble cast of some of the finest actors in the U.K. and we are delighted to have exciting new talent, Aggi O’Casey, in the lead role. We are thrilled to be working with RED to tell this hugely compelling and inspiring story about an ordinary woman risking everything to fight against fascism.”

Nicola Shindler, executive producer, said: “The adaptation of Jo Bloom’s novel highlights a little-known aspect of Britain’s history. Working with Sarah Solemani has been an absolute pleasure, it is a timely drama that echoes what is happening in today’s society. We couldn’t be prouder to have the series led by two new exciting rising stars in Aggi O’Casey and Tom Varey.”

Rebecca Eaton, executive producer-at-large for PBS Masterpiece, added: “We are especially proud to partner with Nicola at RED and with BBC One on Ridley Road. A compelling story of love and resistance is as important now as it ever was in the turbulent 1960s. A well-told drama illuminates past and present as little else can.”