TEN POUND POMS (6×60’) is a compelling, character-driven family drama full of dreams and adventure and discovering what it truly takes to call somewhere your ‘home’.
The story follows a group of Brits as they leave dreary post-war Britain in 1956 to embark on a life-altering adventure on the other side of the world. For only a tenner, they have been promised a better house, better job prospects and a better quality of life by the sea in sun-soaked Australia. But life down under isn’t exactly the idyllic dream the new arrivals have been promised. Struggling with their new identity as immigrants, we follow their triumphs and pitfalls as they adapt to a new life in a new country far from Britain and familiarity.
TEN POUND POMS was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama and will be produced by Eleven for BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and Stan in Australia. Tommy Bulfin for the BBC, Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie for Stan, Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell for Eleven, and Olivia Trench co-executive produce the series. Joining Danny Brocklehurst on the writing team are Ryan Griffen, Smita Bhide and Ava Pickett. Sony Pictures Television (SPT) will distribute the series worldwide.
Danny Brocklehurst said, “Ten Pounds Poms is a big bold character piece about what it means to start again, to be an outsider in a new land. It asks questions about success and failure, identity, parenthood and belonging. The assisted migration programme is a little-known part of British and Australian history but offers endless stories about the people who travelled to the other side of the world in search of a better life. I couldn’t be more delighted to be making the show with the BBC, Eleven and Stan.”
Tommy Bulfin, Commissioning Editor, BBC Drama, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to bring this timely story to the screen. It perfectly captures the courage and determination of our brilliant British migrants as they uproot their entire lives and try to adjust to a new life in an often hostile environment. Told with Danny’s characteristic wit and heart, Ten Pound Poms is sure to delight BBC audiences when it hits the screen next year.”
Joel Wilson, Executive Producer, Eleven said, “It is a huge privilege to be working with Danny. We are both deeply passionate about the stories of the hundreds of thousands who took part in the assisted migration scheme and I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to share them with audiences on the BBC and Stan.”
You can read the full BBC article here.