First Look at New Sally Wainwright Drama, Riot Women

Today, BritBox and the BBC announced the cast of Riot Women, the brand-new drama series from the multi-BAFTA award winning writer Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley, Gentleman Jack).

Leading the cast and the Riot Women band are Joanna Scanlan (After Love, The Thick of It) as Beth, Rosalie Craig (Moonflower Murders, Serpent Queen) as Kitty, Tamsin Greig (Sexy Beast, The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin) as Holly, Lorraine Ashbourne (Sherwood, Alma's Not Normal) as Jess, and Amelia Bullmore (The Buccaneers, Vienna Blood) as Yvonne.

Anne Reid (The Sixth Commandment) will play Nancy, Holly and Yvonne’s mother, with Sue Johnston (The Royle Family) as Jess’s Aunt Mary. Peter Davison (Doctor Who) and Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) and Angel Coulby (Merlin) also join the cast.

In Riot Women, we dive headfirst into the world of five women who, along with two riotous backing singers, come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band in order to enter a local talent contest, but in writing their first original song, soon discover that they have a lot to say - and this is their way to say it. As they juggle demanding jobs, grown-up children, complicated parents, husbands who’ve buggered off, and disastrous dates and relationships, the band becomes a catalyst for change in their lives, and it’s going to make them question everything. The six-part series is a testament to the power of friendship, music, and the resilience of women who refuse to be silenced by age or expectation. As the story (set in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire) progresses, it’s more than music that binds them; a deeply potent, long-buried secret begins to surface – one that unexpectedly entangles Kitty and Beth, the two unlikely creative masterminds behind the band, in a complex triangle - and threatens to tear everything apart.

The series is currently filming in West Yorkshire and will also star Taj Atwal (Line of Duty), Chandeep Uppal (Holby City), Jonny Green (White Lines), Ellise Chappell (Yesterday), Macy Jacob Seelochan (Shadow and Bone), Tony Hirst (Hollyoaks), Shannon Lavelle (Hamlin), Amit Shah (Happy Valley), Rick Warden (Red Eye), Ben Batt (Domina), Natalia Tena (Harry Potter), Melanie La Barrie (& Juliet), Oliver Huntingdon (Sherwood), Richard Fleeshman (The Sandman), Olwen May (A Very British Scandal), Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey) and Nicholas Gleaves (Bodyguard).

Riot Women will feature original songs from the band ARXX.

Quotes:
Sally Wainwright, creator, writer, and executive producer says: “I think I am more excited about this than anything else I have ever written. Ever. Oh my God. We have five of the most fabulous actresses on the planet playing the Riot Women. It's scarily exciting.”

Roanna Benn, Drama Republic CEO and executive producer, says: “Led by the inimitable and incredible Sally, Riot Women is timely and vital, as well as riotously entertaining and deeply emotional. And it stars and is being made by a phenomenal group of women absolutely in their prime!  We cannot wait to share it with everyone.”

Robert Schildhouse, President North America and GM BritBox International says: "Riot Women is perfectly suited to BritBox - unabashed, unapologetic, and unmistakably British. We're thrilled to bring this series from the brilliant Sally Wainwright and this incredible cast to our audiences in North America."

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “We can’t wait for viewers to meet the Riot Women when they arrive on the BBC next year. Sally’s scripts are magnificent even by her standards, and it’s no surprise that they’ve attracted such a stellar cast to bring this one-of-a-kind band and their vibrant world to life.”

Made by Drama Republic (One Day, Doctor Foster, Confessions of Frannie Langton), a Mediawan Company, for the BBC, the series is a co-commission with BritBox International with worldwide distribution being handled by Mediawan Rights. Riot Women (6x60) is created, written, and executive produced by Sally Wainwright, who is also the series’ lead director. Amanda Brotchie (Gentleman Jack, Picnic at Hanging Rock) will direct block two, and Jessica Taylor (Happy Valley, Fool Me Once) is the producer. Roanna Benn (One Day, Doctor Foster) is the executive producer for Drama Republic, with Tanya Qureshi for the BBC, Robert Schildhouse and Jess O'Riordan for BritBox International.

Riot Women will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK next year. BritBox International will air the series in the U.S. and Canada. Mediawan Rights will distribute the series internationally with the participation of Entourage Ventures.

Press Contacts

Alana McGaughey
alana.mcgaughey@britbox.com

Natalie Speck
Natalie.Speck@BritBox.com

ID Public Relations
BritBox@id-pr.com

The TARO Group (Canada)
BritBoxCA@thetarogroup.com