Emma Thompson has been cast alongside Russell Tovey, Jessica Hynes, Rory Kinnear, Ruth Madeley, T’Nia Miller and Anne Reid in Years And Years, the forthcoming new BBC One drama from Russell T Davies.
Described as “a unique and ambitious six-part limited series,” the six-part drama charts one family surviving the future.
As Britain is rocked by unstable political, economic and technological advances, we follow the Lyons family as their complex lives converge on one crucial night in 2019.
Then, over the next 15 years, the twists and turns of everyday life are explored as we find out if this ordinary family could ever change the world.
Thompson stars as Vivienne Rook, an outspoken celebrity turned political figure whose controversial opinions divide the nation. She’s a new breed of politician, an entertainer, a rebel, a trickster, and her rise to power leads us into an unknown future.
Kinnear plays Stephen Lyons, a financial advisor and the family’s peacekeeper who is married to Celeste played by T’Nia Miller, (Obey, Marcella), an ambitious and opinionated accountant.
Russell Tovey will play Daniel Lyons, a hard-working housing officer and Stephen’s brother. Their sister Edith, played by Jessica Hynes (Paddington 2, W1A), is radical, dangerous and calculating with a secret life.
And completing the siblings is heavily pregnant Rosie, played by Ruth Madeley, (Cold Feet, Don’t Take My Baby). Anne Reid (Last Tango In Halifax, The Mother) presides over the family as Muriel, imperial grandmother to the Lyons.
Currently filming in Manchester, the drama is being produced by Red Productions and marks the ninth collaboration between Davies Red founder, Nicola Shindler, and follows hits including the groundbreaking Queer As Folk, Casanova, Cucumber, Banana, Bob & Rose and The Second Coming.
Russell T Davies said: “This is a dream cast, put together by Andy Pryor, the man who found Jodie Whittaker to be Doctor Who. I’m very lucky, and very excited to start filming.”
Shindler, who will service as Executive producer, added: “No other writer could have written such an original, important and entertaining state-of-the-nation drama, with a family at its centre that an audience will want to spend time with.
“I’m thrilled a cast of this calibre will bring them to life.”
