The BBC has commissioned Ten Pound Poms, a new drama series created by Brassic and Ordinary Lies writer Danny Brocklehurst.
A co-production between BBC and Australian broadcaster Stan, the series will be produced by Eleven (Sex Education, Red Rose) and will premiere on BBC One in the UK and Stan in Australia.
Ten Pound Poms (6×60’) 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.
At the heart of the drama is the Roberts family; they try to look for ways to make the best of their situation but the poor living conditions at the migrant hostel and local attitudes towards immigrants test them in ways they couldn’t have imagined. And they aren’t the only people at the hostel avoiding the truth. Kate, a young nurse, arrives without her fiancé́ and will do whatever it takes to try and rewrite her devastating past. Bill has lost his family business back home and is so desperate to prove he’s living the Australian dream that he’ll stop at nothing in order to get a lifestyle he can’t sustain. Meanwhile, teenager Stevie comes from a troubled background and hopes to use this new adventure to escape his oppressive father.
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.”
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.”
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.
Cailah Scobie, Chief Content Officer, Stan said, “Following the immense success of The Tourist, Stan is delighted to again partner with the BBC on the brand-new Stan Original Series Ten Pound Poms — this time working with the award-winning team at Eleven and the accomplished Danny Brocklehurst. International co-productions play a major part in our expanding Stan Originals slate and we can’t wait for filming to begin on this bold and unflinching drama.”
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.
Filming will take place in Australia and further information about casting will be announced in due course.
Jon Creamer
Share this story