Who are the cast for new BBC drama Riot Women?

The BBC and BritBox International have announced the cast of Riot Women, the brand-new drama series from the multi-BAFTA award winning writer Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Gentleman Jack). Made by Drama Republic (One Day, Doctor Foster, The English), for the BBC, the series is a co-commission with BritBox International with worldwide distribution being handled by Mediawan Rights. The series is currently filming in West Yorkshire.

In Riot Women, we dive headfirst into the world of five women who, along with two riotous backing singers, 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 (set in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire) 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.

Leading the cast and the Riot Women band are 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.

Anne Reid (The Sixth Commandment) will play Nancy, Holly and Yvonne’s mother, with Sue Johnston (The Royle Family) as Jess’s Aunt Mary. Peter Davison (Doctor Who) and Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) and Angel Coulby (Merlin) also join the cast.

The series will also star Taj Atwal (Line of Duty), Chandeep Uppal (Holby City), Jonny Green (White Lines), Ellise Chappell (Yesterday), Macy Jacob Seelochan (Shadow and Bone), Tony Hirst (Hollyoaks), Shannon Lavelle (Hamlin), Amit Shah (Happy Valley), Rick Warden (Red Eye), Ben Batt (Domina), Natalia Tena (Harry Potter), Melanie La Barrie (& Juliet), Oliver Huntingdon (Sherwood), Richard Fleeshman (The Sandman), Olwen May (A Very British Scandal), Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey) and Nicholas Gleaves (Bodyguard).

Riot Women will feature original songs from the band ARXX.

Sally Wainwright, creator, writer, and executive producer says: “I think I am more excited about this than anything else I have ever written. Ever. Oh my God. We have five of the most fabulous actresses on the planet playing the Riot Women. It’s scarily exciting.”

Roanna Benn, Drama Republic CEO and executive producer, says: “Led by the inimitable and incredible Sally, Riot Women is timely and vital, as well as riotously entertaining and deeply emotional. And it stars and is being made by a phenomenal group of women absolutely in their prime! We cannot wait to share it with everyone.”

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “We can’t wait for viewers to meet the Riot Women when they arrive on the BBC next year. Sally’s scripts are magnificent even by her standards, and it’s no surprise that they’ve attracted such a stellar cast to bring this one-of-a-kind band and their vibrant world to life.”

Robert Schildhouse, President North America and GM BritBox International says: “Riot Women is perfectly suited to BritBox – unabashed, unapologetic, and unmistakably British. We’re thrilled to bring this series from the brilliant Sally Wainwright and this incredible cast to our audiences in North America.”

Listen to episode one of the Dance Bangers podcast, here.