BBC and BritBox release a first look at Riot Women, the new drama from Sally Wainwright

Published: January 13, 2025 — The BBC and BritBox has released first look pictures of Riot Women, the brand-new drama from the multi-BAFTA award-winning writer Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Gentleman Jack). Set and filmed in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, the six-part series is made by Drama Republic, a Mediawan Company, (One Day, Doctor Foster, The English) for the BBC in a co-commission with BritBox. Worldwide distribution is handled by Mediawan Rights.

Given a first look at the Riot Women band in action and feature Joanna Scanlan (After Love, The Thick of It) as Beth, Rosalie Craig (Moonflower Murders, Serpent Queen) as Kitty, Tamsin Greig (Sexy Beast, The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin) as Holly, Lorraine Ashbourne (Sherwood, Alma’s Not Normal) as Jess, and Amelia Bullmore (The Buccaneers, Vienna Blood) as Yvonne, with Taj Atwal (Line of Duty), Chandeep Uppal (Holby City), and Macy-Jacob Seelochan (Shadow and Bone) as Nisha, Kam and Miranda, the band’s riotous backing singers.

In Riot Women we dive headfirst into the world of five women who come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band in order to enter a local talent contest but, in writing their first original song, soon discover that they have a lot to say – and this is their way to say it.

As they juggle demanding jobs, grown-up children, complicated parents, husbands who’ve buggered off, and disastrous dates and relationships, the band becomes a catalyst for change in their lives, and it’s going to make them question everything. The six-part series is a testament to the power of friendship, music, and the resilience of women who refuse to be silenced by age or expectation. As the story progresses, it’s more than music that binds them; a deeply potent, long-buried secret begins to surface – one that unexpectedly entangles Kitty and Beth, the two unlikely creative masterminds behind the band, in a complex triangle – and threatens to tear everything apart.

Riot Women (6×60) is created, written, and executive produced by Sally Wainwright, who is also the series’ lead director. Jessica Taylor (Happy Valley, Fool Me Once) is the producer. Roanna Benn (One Day, Doctor Foster) is the executive producer for Drama Republic, with Tanya Qureshi for the BBC, Robert Schildhouse and Jess O’Riordan for BritBox. The series is produced by Drama Republic, a Mediawan Company.

Riot Women will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK later this year. BritBox will air the series in the US and Canada. Mediawan Rights will distribute the series internationally with the participation of Entourage Ventures.