Filming has begun on the second series of World War Two drama, World on Fire.
The 6 new episodes have been penned by Stockport screenwriter and series creator, Peter Bowker. He’s working alongside Rachel Bennette and Matt Jones.
The drama tells the story of the war through the eyes of ordinary people and it picks up in October 1940, as lone pilots are sent to destroy German bombers, who are flying across Manchester, as the Northern Blitz begins.
Action will also take place in occupied France, Nazi Germany and the North African desert.
“The second season of World On Fire has been a long wait due to a certain pandemic and this makes the beginning of filming especially exciting. It has been a real joy to pick up the story with our inspirational cast, both our established regulars and new and exciting talent who have embraced the show’s scale and ambition,” explained Bowker.
“How the conflict played out in North Africa is a fascinating and little-explored history and we are aiming to redress that balance with stories of struggle and friendship. Our diverse cast will continue to reflect the global nature of the conflict.”
Returning cast include Lesley Manville as Robina, Jonah Hauer-King as Harry, Julia Brown as Lois, and Zofia Wichlacz as Kasia, with Blake Harrison as Stan, Eugénie Derouand as Henriette, Eryk Biedunkiewicz as Jan, and Cel Spellman as Joe.
“Peter Bowker gives us an extraordinary insight into the second year of World War II with his unique humanity, humour and pathos. This is a drama which poses the question: how do you survive when everything around you has changed unimaginably?” said Helen Ziegler, Director of Television at Mammoth Screen.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be returning for this epic and adrenalized series two of World On Fire, with our wonderful returning cast joined by a host of new characters!”
The 6 x 60minute drama has been commissioned by the BBC. It’s a Mammoth Screen production, co-produced with Masterpiece for the BBC. Mammoth Screen is an ITV Studios company.
The first series aired on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in autumn 2019, where it averaged 6.7 million viewers (30-day consolidated data).
The new series is expected to be released in 2023.
