When is the BBC's Windrush scandal drama Sitting in Limbo on TV?
Novelist Stephen S. Thompson has based Sitting in Limbo on his brother Anthony Bryan's real-life experiences
Sitting in Limbo could hardly be more timely. Arriving at an extraordinary moment in history as the Black Lives Matter movement grows and as protests take place around the world, this feature-length BBC One drama shines the spotlight on the painful, raw and recent Windrush scandal.
Starring Patrick Robinson and written by Stephen S. Thompson, the factual drama is based on the real-life experiences of a Jamaican-born British man whose life was upended when the Home Office decided that he was actually here illegally.
Here's everything you need to know about the BBC drama...
When is Sitting in Limbo on TV?
CONFIRMED: Standalone 90-minute drama Sitting in Limbo will air on Monday 8th June at 8.30pm on BBC One.
Here's the trailer:
What is Sitting in Limbo about?
Anthony has lived in the UK since he was eight years old, but when he decided to obtain a passport and visit his elderly mother in Jamaica, he learnt that there was no record of him as a British citizen. The onus was now on him to prove his citizenship to the Home Office.
Unable to claim his benefits and forced to leave his job, Anthony was left in limbo. He was later forcibly removed from his home and detained as an illegal immigrant, placing his story at the heart of the Windrush immigration scandal, which saw a government crackdown on the children of the "Windrush generation," who unlike their parents often travelled without their own documents.
Thompson said: “Like everyone caught up in the Windrush scandal, Anthony has been severely traumatised by the experience. It has badly affected his confidence and left him questioning his very identity. As his brother, I saw what he went through first-hand. I couldn’t bear the idea that he had suffered in vain and it made me determined to tell his story. For me, this is personal.”
Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, said: "I work very closely with Charlotte Moore to seek out the most compelling and inspiring British real-life stories to tell. Stephen’s script is terrific and we’re honoured his first screenplay for TV will be on BBC One.
"Anthony’s story is incredibly important and one that needs to be told with urgency."
Click here to read more about the Sitting in Limbo true story.
Who stars in Sitting in Limbo?
Patrick Robinson and Nadine Marshall will lead the Sitting in Limbo cast, playing Anthony Bryan and his partner Janet.
Pippa Bennett Warner will play Patrick’s daughter Eileen, CJ Beckford will play her brother Gary, and Corinne Skinner Carter will play Patrick’s mother, Lucille.
Further cast includes Andrew Dennis, Jay Simpson, Jane Wood, Joy Richardson, Elliot Edusah, Simon Lenagan, Tim Preece, Paul Bridle, Michael Workeye, Zachary Hart, Ian Drysdale, Leo Wringer, James Woolley, Clara Oneyemere, Eddie Osei, Sarah Woodward, Steve Edwin, Suzanne Packer, Florisa Kamara and Taija Bryan.
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