Shane Meadows is to make his first ever drama for the BBC with a series adaptation of Benjamin Myers’ award-winning historical novel The Gallows Pole.
The writer and director of This Is England (2006) and its three spinoff mini series will helm a TV reimagining of the 2018 Walter Scott Prize-winning book, which is scheduled to shoot with UK-Irish production company Element Pictures later this year.
ScreenDaily reports that a call-out for first-time non-professional actors was publicised in March by Shaheen Baig Casting, which is looking for men and women to play between 25-45 years old. It has also been considering professional actors.
The series will be based on the 2017 novel of the same name, which fictionalises the true story of 18th century ironworker David Hartley and the Cragg Vale Coiners. Hartley assembled his team of crooks to produce counterfeit coins.
Imagine having a mouth as big as mine and keeping this quiet for 18 MONTHS. https://t.co/gknGjlgIaE
— Benjamin Myers (@BenMyers1) May 18, 2021
Meadows told ScreenDaily: “The Gallows Pole is an incredible true story, little known outside of Yorkshire, about a group of very naughty men and women who started clipping and counterfeiting coins out in the Moors as a way to keep themselves and their community alive.
“I’ve never made a period drama before so I’m absolutely buzzing, and to be doing it with Piers [Wenger – BBC’s director of drama]. his incredible team, and Element Pictures is nothing short of an honour.”
Meadows’ latest TV work was the three-episode series The Virtues, starring Stephen Graham, which was made for Channel 4. His last feature was 2013 documentary The Stone Roses: Made Of Stone.
In other news, Meadows said recently that he wants to return to This Is England for a millenium series set in the early ’00s.
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