BBC First has announced the acquisition of MotherFatherSon, World On Fire and the next series of Taboo. These dramas will see Hollywood heavyweights Richard Gere (Chicago, Pretty Woman) and Helen Hunt (As Good As It Gets, Mad About You) come to the channel this year, with Tom Hardy to reprise his role as James Delaney at a date to be announced.
Golden Globe winner Richard Gere returns to television for the first time in 30 years to star in the highly anticipated MotherFatherSon alongside Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders), Billy Howle (On Chesil Beach) and Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley). The 8-part series is created and written by Emmy-award winner Tom Rob Smith (The Assassination of Gianni Versace) and stars Gere as Max, a charismatic self-made American businessman with media outlets in London and around the world. Helen McCrory plays Kathryn, a British heiress and Max’s estranged wife. Their 30 year-old son, Caden, runs Max’s UK newspaper and is primed to follow in his father’s footsteps as one of the most powerful men in the world. But when Caden’s self-destructive lifestyle spirals out of control, the devastating consequences threaten the future of the family, its empire and a country on the brink of change
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Academy award winner Helen Hunt stars alongside Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) in the landmark series World On Fire. The series is an epic, heart-stopping, multi-stranded drama following the first year of World War II through the intertwining fates of ordinary people from Britain, Poland, France, Germany and the United States as they grapple with the effects of war on their everyday lives. Award-winning writer Peter Bowker tells the hidden stories within the big historical events that we think we know, the stories of loyalty and brutality, courage and fear, love and loss and hopes and dreams forged in extraordinary times.
BBC First has also secured the rights to the second series of Taboo, once again being written by Stephen Knight. Taboo, which was created by Stephen Knight with Tom Hardy and Chips Hardy, saw Tom Hardy take on the role of James Keziah Delaney in a tale of conspiracy, murder, betrayal and a dark family mystery. In series two James Delaney will continue to explore many realities as he takes his band of misfits to a new world.
Tim Christlieb, Director of Branded Services, Australia and New Zealand, said: “British drama is fuelled by exceptional writing and great stories which continue to attract major Hollywood talent to work alongside fantastic British actors. We’re pleased to be able to bring these three fantastic shows to our Australian audience.”