BBC First will screen Mike Bartlett’s (Doctor Foster) drama series Press in November.
Set in the fast-paced and challenging environment of the British newspaper industry, the six-part drama explores the personal lives and constant professional dilemmas facing the journalists who work at two rival newspapers.
The program features Australian actor Brendan Cowell (Love My Way), alongside Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders), Ben Chaplin (Apple Tree Yard) and David Suchet (Poirot).
Cowell is shown as the news editor of The Herald, a left-leaning broadsheet. Riley plays the deputy news editor. Chaplin portrays a charming and manipulative editor of The Post. Suchet is the CEO of the multimedia conglomerate that owns The Post
Press premiered on BBC One in UK and PBS in US on September 6. The first episode was watched by 3.60 million in UK.
The show was one of the programs to be unveiled at the BBC First upfront (http://www.mediaweek.com.au/bbc-first-in-2019 ) held in Sydney last month. BBC Studios’ director of scripted content (drama, comedy and children) Liam Keelan was in Australia for the occasion and sat down with Mediaweek for a podcast.
Commenting on how the company chooses the program to air in Australia, he said: “It’s about tailoring it for a premium audience that is a slightly older and upmarket demographic. They want event dramas, so things like Les Misérables or The Little Drummer Girl are very important.”
Press will air on BBC First on November 6 at 8.30pm.