BBC release first look at new Sean Bean drama ‘This City is Ours’

This City Is Ours premieres on the BBC in spring 2025.

The BBC has released first look pictures of This City is Ours, the brand-new crime drama from Stephen Butchard (The Good Mothers, The Last Kingdom, Five Daughters), directed by BAFTA award-winning Saul Dibb (The Salisbury Poisonings, The Sixth Commandment), John Hayes (Nightsleeper, Dublin Murders), and Eshref Reybrouck (Undercover).

Set and filmed in Liverpool, the eight-part series is made by Left Bank Pictures for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Worldwide distribution is handled by Sony Pictures Television.

The new pictures give a first look at the This City Is Ours ensemble, including two-time BAFTA award-winner Sean Bean (Marriage, Time) as gang leader Ronnie Phelan, James Nelson-Joyce (Bird, A Thousand Blows) as Ronnie’s friend, Michael Kavanagh, Hannah Onslow (Empire of Light, This Is Going to Hurt) as Diana Williams, Michael’s partner, Jack McMullen (Hijack, Ford V Ferrari) as Ronnie’s son, Jamie Phelan, and Julie Graham (Shetland, Time) as Elaine, head of the Phelan family alongside her husband Ronnie.

A man in a black jacket stands in the dark with his arm extended, pointing a gun at something offscreen — Jack Mc Mullen as Jamie Phelan

A man and a woman stand with their arms around each other smiling behind a birthday cake that's lit with giant sparklers — Ours Sean Bean as Ronnie Phelan and Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan

A man stands outdoors in daylight looking behind him, against a backdrop of hills and mountains — Sean Bean as Ronnie Phelan

Set and filmed in Liverpool, with additional filming in Spain, This City is Ours is the story of Michael, a man who for all of his adult life has been involved in organised crime, working for his friend and the gang leader Ronnie. When Ronnie begins to hint at retirement, Michael too begins to imagine another life. Because, for the first time in his life, Michael is in love. For the first time in his life, he sees beyond the day-to-day, he sees a future: something to win and something to lose – Diana.

A man stands in a street in daylight against a backdrop of a row of terraced houses and parked cars — James Nelson Joyce as Michael Kavanagh

A man and a woman in a swimming pool together, deep in conversation. She wraps her arms around his neck, holding an almost empty cocktail glass with a slice of orange and a pink cocktail umbrella — Hannah Onslow as Diana Williams and James Nelson Joyce as Michael Kavanagh

A man sits looking to a person just at the edge of screen, deep in conversation. His face is dimly lit with one side in light and the other in shadow. — Sean Bean as Ronnie Phelan

This City is Ours is the story of Michael and Diana’s love affair, set against the disintegration of Michael’s crime gang. For years, together with Ronnie, Michael has successfully been bringing cocaine into the City and beyond, directly from Columbia; but when a shipment goes missing, he knows their Kingdom is under attack.

This City is Ours explores what happens when Ronnie’s son Jamie decides he wants to inherit their kingdom and that there is no longer a place for Michael at the table. Both Michael and Jamie have bold ideas to modernise the gang and they will battle for control of it. But Michael’s biggest battle will be to save the woman he loves and the child he has always wanted.

This is a story about family, and love destroyed and corrupted by ambition, pride and greed. It’s a story about power: what we will do to secure and keep it.

A smartly dressed man and a woman stand together in a bar. She holds a glass of wine and looks straight ahead while he looks to her. — Hannah Onslow as Diana Williams and James Nelson Joyce as Michael Kavanagh

A man and woman, both dressed in black, stand together in a room having a conversation. She laughs at something he's said. — Laura Aikman as Rachel Duffy and Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy

A woman in a cream top and skirt and a man in a grey suit with a black shirt stand in a church. She looks slightly unsure about something as he stares straight ahead. A group of smartly dressed people are gathered behind them. — Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Cheryl Crawford and Stephen Walters as Davy Crawford

As previously announced, This City Is Ours also stars Laura Aikman (Gavin & Stacey, Archie) as Rachel Duffy, Kevin Harvey (Treason, Time) as Bobby Duffy, Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Derry Girls, Upgraded) as Cheryl Crawford, Mike Noble (Shardlake, The Long Shadow) as Banksey, Bobby Schofield (SAS Rogue Heroes, The Suspect) as Bonehead, Darci Shaw (Judy, A Thousand Blows) as Melissa Sullivan, and Stephen Walters (Slow Horses, Anne) as Davy Crawford.

Three men look through a doorway and seem concerned by what they see inside — Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy, Mike Noble as Banksey and James Nelson Joyce as Michael Kavanagh

A man stands in a dark church looking at something off screen with a beam of light hitting him from behind — Jack McMullen as Jamie Phelan

A man sits in a chair in a room high above a city. There's a panoramic view of the city through the window behind him.

This City is Ours (8×60) was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. It was created by Stephen Butchard, who serves as lead writer, with Robbie O’Neill writing further episodes. The directors are Saul Dibb (The Salisbury Poisonings, The Sixth Commandment) and John Hayes (Nightsleeper, Dublin Murders). The producer is Simon Maloney (Peaky Blinders, I May Destroy You). Executive producers are Andy Harries, Rebecca Hodgson and Sian McWilliams for Left Bank Pictures, Stephen Butchard and Saul Dibb, and Jo McClellan and Sami El Hadi for the BBC. Additional funding and support came from the Liverpool Film Office through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s LCR Production Fund.

This City Is Ours is coming soon to BBC iPlayer and BBC One UK in the Spring. Sony Pictures Television will distribute the series internationally.