Joe Gilgun (This is England), Michelle Keegan (Our Girl), Damien Molony (Ripper Street), Ruth Sheen and Tim Key are set to star in Brassic, a new original comedy from Sky co-created by Gilgun and BAFTA-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst.
Production on the show will start in September for Sky and NOW TV. Written by Danny Brocklehurst (Safe), Brassic*, with its distinct northern flavour, is about a group of working-class friends finding unconventional ways to win at life in northern suburbia.
Vinnie (Gilgun), a Lancashire lad with bipolar disorder, and Dylan (Molony), his razor-smart best mate, are inseparable and utterly co-dependant. They’ve hardly spent a day apart since birth. But Dylan’s girlfriend Erin (Keegan) might just shake things up for good with her plans to leave town and start a new life for herself and her kid, Tyler.
Dylan is faced with the impossible decision between a fresh start with the love of his life or staying behind with his inseparable gang of mates that he can’t live without. This gang includes: Cardi (Tom Hanson), champion kebab eater and total liability; Ash (Aaron Heffernan), the son of a family of fighting Travellers whose fists can get them out of most kinds of trouble; Tommo (Ryan Sampson), the most sexually liberated man in Britain who doesn’t care what people think; and JJ (Parth Thakerar), a sharp entrepreneur who runs a garage (with a lucrative sideline in stolen cars).
These lads have dealt, scammed, bribed and conned their way through adolescence, but now, on the brink of adulthood, their dealing and stealing is catching up with them and a whole load of trouble is heading their way. Like a carefully stacked tower of cards, what happens if one of them is knocked down or, worse, removed from the pack entirely?
Veering between hilarious comedy and heartfelt emotion, Brassic is about irreplaceable, lifelong friends, loyalty and the things that come between them.
Joe Gilgun, co-creator, said: “I'm truly humbled by the opportunity. We've got an amazing team of creators and watching it all take form has been very moving. Bipolar is a big part of my life. We want to show that you can have mental health issues and in some cases live a productive, exciting life, full of adventure. Our writer Danny Brocklehurst and my friend David Quayle have been invaluable in taking this journey with me. Embrace who you are, decide what to be and go be it.”
Danny Brocklehurst, co-creator & writer, said: “I couldn't be more thrilled to be making Brassic with Sky One. This is a passion project for Joe and myself and we have collaborated every step of the way to create an outrageous, funny, stylistically bold show that brings to life a rarely seen northern working-class world. This is a big-hearted show about life at the sharp end of modern Britain.”
Jon Mountague, head of comedy for Sky, said: “I love the authenticity, hilarity and undeniable heart of Joe Gilgun’s world and Danny has executed his incredible stories brilliantly. Brassic is really different - sometimes raw, often remarkable, and always human. Fantastic scripts complemented by an amazing cast. We can’t wait to share the show with Sky customers.”
David Livingstone, executive producer for Calamity Films, said: “When Joe first told me these stories I was struck by their humour and humanity. But Danny’s writing has turned them into something stunning and beautiful. It was like reading a great book with amazing characters for the first time. Something you knew you wanted to be part of. We are so grateful to Sky for giving us the opportunity to bring these stories to the screen.”
Brassic, a Sky original production, is produced by Calamity Films. It is executive produced by David Livingstone for Calamity Films and Jon Mountague for Sky. Joe Gilgun and Danny Brocklehurst are also executive producers with Juliet Charlesworth as series producer. Daniel O’Hara (Block 1) and Jon Wright (Block 2) are directing.
Brassic will be distributed internationally by ITV Global and will air on Sky and streaming service NOW TV in the UK and Ireland in 2019.
*Definition: “Brassic: Broke, penniless, without means, boracic lint - skint, on the bones of yer arse.”
