New BBC drama This City Is Ours is already proving to be a smash hit, after figures show it boosted the Liverpool City Region economy by £9 million.
Due to be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday (23 March), the production received investment from Liverpool City Council’s Film Office via Liverpool City Region Combined Authority LCR Production Fund.
The series is from Left Bank Pictures, the award-winning team behind The Crown, and has been created by local writer Stephen Butchard (The Good Mothers, The Last Kingdom) and spent around 17 weeks filming in the Liverpool City Region last year, generating and safeguarding 300 direct, indirect and induced FTE jobs for local people, while also supporting 17 trainees into the industry, as well welcoming two apprentices from the Film Office.
This City Is Ours stars Sean Bean as Ronnie Phelan alongside Scousers James Nelson-Joyce who plays Ronnie’s friend Michael Kavanagh, and Jack McMullen as Ronnie’s son Jamie Phelan, Hannah Onslow as Diana Williams, Michael’s partner and Julie Graham as Elaine Phelan – head of the Phelan family, alongside her husband Ronnie.
Other Scousers in the cast include Kevin Harvey as Bobby Duffy, Mike Noble as Banksey, Bobby Schofield as Bonehead, Darci Shaw as Melissa Sullivan, and Stephen Walters as Davy Crawford.
The fund was launched by Mayor Steve Rotheram in 2019, supported by £3m from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and is facilitated and operated by Liverpool Film Office.
Over the last five years, Liverpool Film Office has been responsible for bringing 1,564 film and TV productions to the Liverpool City Region, which has resulted in 5,279 direct/FTE jobs being created within the industry, generating £168m inward investment to the local economy.
