Sex Education Series 4 Release Date Announced

SEX EDUCATION will return to Netflix for a fourth and final series on Thursday 21st September 2023.

This series sees a return to Moordale, though our characters are now small fish in a big pond at high-tech Cavendish College, following the closure of Moordale Secondary. But the weird and wonderful sex and relationship problems haven’t gone anywhere. The series will continue to tell the most ground-breaking, inclusive and relevant storylines, with warmth, wit and originality.

Returning cast include Gillian Anderson, Asa Butterfield, Emma Mackey and Ncuti Gatwa.

Watch the teaser trailer here.

Twitter & Instagram: @sexeducation

Ten Pound Poms Premieres on BBC One

The first episode of Eleven’s latest drama series, TEN POUND POMS, premiered on BBC One on Sunday, coinciding with the release of the full boxset on BBC iPlayer. The series has also premiered on streamer Stan in Australia.

Commissioned in 2022, the series was created by Danny Brocklehurst and follows the lives of those at the centre of the largest planned migration of the 20th century. One million Britons were sold the dream of a modern way of life in Australia and were seduced by a fare of just £10.

Michelle Keegan, Faye Marsay and Warren Brown lead the cast, alongside Australian actors Rob Collins, Leon Ford, Declan Coyle, David Field, Stephen Curry, Hattie Hook, Finn Treacy and Emma Hamilton.

Stream the full boxset on BBC iPlayer here.

Eleven to Produce First Ever Television Adaptation of Lord of the Flies

Renowned British novelist William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is to be adapted for television for the first time by Eleven and multi-BAFTA award-winning screenwriter Jack Thorne.

First published by Faber for what was then an unknown author, the novel has become one of the most popular books on English curricula for the last 70 years. William Golding won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.

Written by Jack Thorne and executive produced by Eleven’s Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell, LORD OF THE FLIES is a 4 x 60’ drama for BBC One and BBC iPlayer that tells the story of a group of young boys who find themselves stranded on a tropical island.

“I first read the book when I was seven and it made an indelible impression on me – more than any novel since,” says Joel Wilson.  “It is a great honour and joy to be taking responsibility for the adaptation of such a precious novel – particularly given I’ll be working alongside my dear friend Jack – one of the kindest and most insightful writers on the planet. He has written some of the more detailed and affecting portraits of human beings one could hope to encounter.

“We are deeply grateful to have such full-hearted support from William Golding’s daughter Judy Carver, as well as Charlotte and Lindsay, all of whom fell in love with Jack’s vision for the series immediately.”

Judy Golding Carver, William Golding’s daughter, says: “My father wrote the novel in a passionate, visionary response to the aftermath of war.  He understood that its relevance would not die away.  I believe he would welcome the freshness and vigour with which Jack and Joel undertake the project, and he would certainly be touched by their intense commitment.  Our family has been encouraged by our discussions with them – and as a result we put our trust in their skills and enthusiasm. My father was proud of the novel and had faith in its power and honesty. His family believe that this adaptation will do full justice to these qualities.”

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, adds: “We are so excited that Jack Thorne will be adapting such an iconic, timeless and much-loved novel for television for the very first time – and that the adaptation has been endorsed by the late William Golding’s family. It’s a formidable writing and production team that will bring these definitive characters to life for all generations.”

Lord of the Flies is an Eleven production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The series is written by Jack Thorne. The executive producers are Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell for Eleven, Jack Thorne for One Shoe Films and Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC.

To read the full BBC press release, click here.

Eleven Project Selected for Creative UK’s BREAKOUT Programme

POLLY (AMOROUS), an Eleven project in association with Bluebird Productions, has been selected for Netflix and Creative UK’s BREAKOUT programme, from nearly 800 applicants.

BREAKOUT gives emerging genre filmmakers the opportunity and funding to advance their debut feature into development with the partnership and support of Netflix. It offers new UK-based filmmakers the opportunity to take popular genres audiences love and reinterpret them through a distinctively British lens.

“Creative UK’s partnership with Netflix is a significant evolution of our support for emerging filmmakers over the last decade. Breakout has given a hugely talented cohort access to the expertise of both Netflix and Creative UK to help unlock their potential and push up to the next level. We are thrilled for our first cohort, who we’re sure have been emboldened by Breakout to realise brilliant films that will impress, engage and thoroughly entertain in equal measure.” said Caroline Norbury OBE, Chief Executive of Creative UK.

Synopsis: Polly desperately wants to write romance novels and, being in a borderline-perfect decade- long relationship with “the one” (Luca), she’s sure she has all the right credentials. Right? Wrong!! After a devastating drive-by break up, and with her first potential book deal about to go down the pan, Polly is thrust into the terrifying world of modern dating like a lubed-up clown in a minefield. But will Polly have to ditch everything she thinks she knows about romance in order to learn about love? And could there be more than one way to love – and even, more than one love of her life?

Read the full Screen Daily article here.

BBC Releases First-Look Images of Ten Pound Poms

The BBC and Stan have released first-look images for TEN POUND POMS, their major new drama series produced by Eleven.

The photos include lead cast members Michelle Keegan, Faye Marsay and Warren Brown, as well as Australian cast members Finn Treacy, Hattie Hook, David Field, Sophie Gregg, Cheree Cassidy and Rob Collins.

You can read the full press release here.

Writers Announced for BBC Writersroom Pilot Scheme

The participants for the 2023 BBC Writersroom Pilot scheme have been announced by the BBC.

The prestigious initiative (previously known as the TV Drama Writers’ Programme) partners 10 talented early-career screenwriters with 10 independent production companies, with a script-commission, giving the screenwriters the opportunity to write the first episode of a potential BBC-commissioned original drama series or serial.

During the year-long scheme, the writers will attend masterclasses and workshops with established television writers, production teams and experts in screenwriting, while developing their original script. The aim being that the writer’s series or serial will be taken into full development by the BBC.

After being partnered with Amy Trigg in 2022’s scheme, the BBC have announced that Eleven has been paired with Tom Melia for this year’s run.

Jess Loveland, Head of New Writing for BBC Drama Commissioning and BBC Writersroom, says: “We’re delighted to announce the participants for Pilot 2023, once again the team at BBC Writersroom has been overwhelmed by the incredible talent to be found across the length and breadth of the UK and we can’t wait to see how their projects develop under the careful guidance of the participating indies this year.”

Read the full BBC press release here.

Arlo Music Drama in Development with Sky

Eleven is in development with Sky Studios, Lionsgate and British soul-pop artist Arlo on his debut TV project.

The series follows a young man in East London and the relationship between his working-class background and burgeoning success in the music industry.

David Ikechukwu, known publicly by his stage name Arlo, created the show with writer, director and actor Aki Omoshaybi. Omoshaybi is writing the series.

Lionsgate and Eleven’s involvement was announced in 2021. Lionsgate will handle global distribution on the series, with Eleven producing. Joel Wilson is executive producing, alongside former Lionsgate international acquisitions and co-productions exec Marc Lorber, and Arlo himself.

At the time, Wilson said: “Arlo and Aki are prodigiously talented, insightful people as well as being beautifully in tune when it comes to the story they want to tell together. It has been a real privilege to sit with them and watch this series begin to come to life.”

Read the full Broadcast article here.