The BBC and Amazon Freevee have commissioned Boat Story, a 6×60’ thriller produced by award-winning Two Brothers Pictures (Fleabag, The Tourist) which is currently filming around Yorkshire.
Boat Story will premiere in the UK on BBC One and iPlayer, and in the US on Amazon Freevee.
At its heart, Boat Story, which is written by the production house’s titular brothers Harry and Jack Williams, is an action thriller about two ordinary people, Janet (Daisy Haggard – Back to Life, Breeders) and Samuel (Paterson Joseph – Vigil, Noughts & Crosses), whom the world has turned its back on, and whether they’re willing – or desperate – enough to do something crazy to get what they want in life. Pushed to the very edge, can they trust each other and get away with their lives and the money?
Also starring BAFTA-winner Joanna Scanlan (After Love, Notes on A Scandal), Craig Fairbrass (One Piece, Villain and Muscle) and Phil Daniels (Quadrophenia, House of Dragons), Boat Story twists and turns with character-driven, surprising storytelling, hilarious and moving in equal turns. Off-beat humour contrasts with high-octane action sequences against the spectacular backdrop of the windswept Yorkshire coastline.
Harry and Jack Williams, writers and Managing Directors of Two Brothers Pictures said: “We loved making The Tourist and Boat Story picks up where that left off – tonally at least. It’s a morality tale and a thriller and other things that make it hard to define even though we seem to be attempting to define it. It’s full of vulnerable, messed up and eccentric characters and we’ve cast some of our favourite actors to play them. We are excited to bring this to life along with our fellow directors.”
Christopher Aird, Two Brothers Pictures head of drama, added: “Boat Story will surprise the audience from the first minute. Harry & Jack are challenging conventions we’ve come to second guess in screen drama. I think this is their boldest show yet and very exciting.”
Boat Story is a Two Brothers Pictures (an All3Media company) production for the BBC. The Williams Brothers (The Missing, Baptiste, The Tourist) and Aird (Baptiste, Liar, The Tourist) and Daniel Walker will serve as executive producers for Two Brothers Pictures and with Tommy Bulfin as executive producer for the BBC. Matthew Bird (Isolation Stories, Strangers) will produce, and Harry and Jack Williams will direct block one. Alice Troughton will direct block two and Daniel Nettheim directs block three. International sales will be handled by All3Media international.
