"I was honoured to be asked to create The Split Up"
The BBC has revealed when fans can expect British Asian drama The Split Up, and it is just around the corner.
A spin-off of The Split, the upcoming legal drama will relocate the action to Manchester, with a new family and characters at the centre of its story.
The Split Up will be coming to BBC One on September 20 at 9 pm. The full series will also be available on BBC iPlayer.
Episodes will air on BBC One on Sundays and Mondays from that same date.
Created by Ursula Rani Sarma, the six-part series centres on Kishan Law, a high-net-worth British South Asian family law firm led by Dhruv (Sanjeev Bhaskar).
The firm is the go-to for Manchester’s elite, and the main storyline follows Aria Kishan (Ritu Arya).
Aria is preparing to take over the family firm from her father.
However, the death of her mother casts new light on these plans for Dhruv, who begins to wonder if his daughter can, or should, take on this responsibility single handedly.
Aria’s relationship is placed under scrutiny too with the wedding for long-term partner Neal (Danny Ashok) on the horizon, but with their personal and professional so entwined it’s unclear if their relationship can withstand any more pressure.
The problem escalates when a former secret flame (Dimitri Leonidas) unexpectedly arrives in Manchester.
Alongside her siblings Maya (Aysha Kala) and Kav (Arian Nik), Aria must navigate the splits that divide family and those we love – and ask herself: who should you live your life for?
Other cast members include Mawaan Rizwan, Sindhu Vee and Tom Forbes.
Meanwhile, Lenny Henry, Jane Horrocks and Jameela Jamil will make guest appearances.
Ursula previously said: “I watched The Split with admiration over the years and I was honoured to be asked to create The Split Up: a spin off which introduces a whole new family and city while still holding on to the warmth, humour and heartbreak of Abi Morgan’s original series.
“To be able to place a contemporary British Asian family, helmed by brilliant women, at the heart of a primetime drama series is a dream come true for me as a writer who believes strongly in the importance of representation on our screens.”
Executive producer Abi Morgan added: “The chance to take all that was loved about The Split and use it to inspire the next generation of British South Asian talent, to create a new family of dynamic lawyers spilling over with all the messiness of life, both personally and professionally, has been a brilliant challenge, beautifully realised by lead writer Ursula Rani Sama.
“I hope audiences will take it to their hearts.”
With its Manchester setting and a new British South Asian family at its centre, The Split Up will bring a new chapter to the world on September 20.
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