Daisy Haggard and Paterson Joseph lead new BBC thriller Boat Story
The upcoming series comes from the creators of The Tourist – and strikes a similar tone.
The writers of hit thriller The Tourist are reuniting for another action-packed thriller titled Boat Story, following two people thrown into an extreme situation they could never have imagined.
Janet (Daisy Haggard) and Samuel (Paterson Joseph) are two complete strangers facing great hardship, who make a discovery that could well be the answer to all their problems: an enormous stash of cocaine on a shipwrecked boat.
They take the illegal haul and make a plan to sell it, splitting the proceeds two ways to go towards fixing their problems for good – but of course, crime is never as simple as that.
The hapless duo suddenly find threats closing in from every angle, from suspicious police officers to masked hitmen and a mysterious gangster known only as The Tailor (to be played by Baptiste star Tcheky Karyo).
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Production company Two Brothers Pictures, founded by Harry and Jack Williams (The Tourist, Baptiste), describe the six-parter as "hilarious and moving" in equal measure, exploring the lengths people will go to save themselves when pushed to the brink.
"We loved making The Tourist and Boat Story picks up where that left off – tonally at least," said the Williams brothers. "It’s a morality tale and a thriller and other things that make it hard to define even though we seem to be attempting to define it.
"It’s full of vulnerable, messed up and eccentric characters and we’ve cast some of our favourite actors to play them. We are excited to bring this to life along with our fellow directors."
The sibling writers will helm the opening episodes, while Boat Story also has Alice Troughton (Baghdad Central) and Daniel Nettheim (Line of Duty) attached as directors on the second and third blocks respectively.
Daisy Haggard has earned acclaim for her roles in self-created BBC Three comedy-drama Back to Life and Sky's Breeders, where she stars opposite Martin Freeman.
Meanwhile, Paterson Joseph is known for comedy roles in Peep Show and Inside No 9, as well as dramatic turns in Vigil, Noughts + Crosses and HBO's The Leftovers.
Tommy Bulfin, commissioning editor for the BBC, added: "Even by Jack and Harry’s remarkable standards, Boat Story is a hugely entertaining and fiendishly clever thriller that I know will have the nation desperate to know what’s coming next.
"And I cannot think of a more perfect cast to bring these fantastic characters to life – you’ll just have to wait and see which ones you can trust!"
Boat Story will air on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK, while international viewers should look out for it on Amazon's new free-to-use ad-supported streaming service Freevee.
Boat Story is coming soon to BBC One and iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or find out what's on with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
