The BBC has announced the cast for the new high-stakes legal drama Counsels.
Filming has just begun in Glasgow and the Balloon Entertainment production is co-created by Scottish writers Bryan Elsley (The Crow Road, Skins) and BBC Writers’ Drama Room graduate Gillian McCormack. Set in Glasgow, the eight-part series is made by Balloon Entertainment (Champion, Clique, Newark Newark) for BBCiPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland in association with All3Media International and in coproduction with ZDFneo.
Counsels follows the lives of a group of twentysomething lawyers in Glasgow in the crucial moment when a few years out of university their careers finally become serious. Working across the legal landscape, whether as public prosecutors, slick representatives of glossier commercial interests or the shabby and good-hearted last resort of those with nothing left to lose, each one of them is out to win. They are colleagues jostling for promotion, lovers trying to hold onto one another as ambitions accelerate and pure adversaries professionally and personally. And now’s the time things are going to catch fire.
The series is written and co-created, by Executive Producer Bryan Elsley with Gillian McCormack. Some episodes are written by Maryan Hamidi and Jingan Young.
Bryan Elsley said: “I am delighted to be leading with Gillian McCormack on Counsels. We look forward to introducing a galaxy of Scottish acting, writing and directing talent to our audience. Set entirely in Glasgow, we hope to bring the city vividly to life and fill it with arresting stories and characters.”
Gillian McCormack said: “It’s been amazing to work with Bryan and see our incredible crew and phenomenal cast come together. Developing our characters and their worlds has been a brilliant experience and I can’t wait to share their stories set against the backdrop of the dynamic, exciting and contemporary city of Glasgow, of which I am hugely proud.”
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning, BBC Scotland said: “We’re delighted to see the cameras start rolling on Counsels. Bryan and Gillian have created a wonderful world showcasing brilliant young lawyers whose professional and personal lives are as dramatic as the cases they represent. Counsels is part of the single biggest BBC investment in drama in Scotland for over a decade and we can’t wait for audiences to get to know these new exciting characters and to get caught up in their lives, loves and dramas.”
David Swetman, SVP Content and Commercial Strategy, All3Media International said: “We’re delighted to be working with Bryan Elsley and the talented team at Balloon Entertainment again on high-stakes legal drama Counsels. With its exciting young cast and dynamic writing from Bryan and Gillian McCormack it is sure to be an international success, as seen in ZDF’s early boarding as a key co-production partner.”
Gaynor Holmes and Stephanie Fyfe are Executive Producers for the BBC with Gavin Smith for BBC Scotland and Daniel Donnelly and Dave Evans for Balloon. The Producer is Brian Kaczynski (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, Mayflies) and the Directors are Lynsey Miller (Surface S2, The Turkish Detective) and Siri Rødnes (Shetland, River City). The series will be distributed by Balloon Entertainment’s international partner All3Media International and is a coproduction with ZDFneo. Katharina Kremling is the Commissioning Editor for ZDFneo. Counsels is supported by Screen Scotland.
