THE BBC are known for their top class drama, and Boat Story is no different.
The gritty storyline sees two strangers enter into a life of crime together, and brings with it an impressive cast.
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Where was Boat Story filmed?
Yorkshire
Filming for Boat Story took place in Yorkshire – with Leeds, York and Halifax also used
Speaking about shooting the gritty series, co-creator Jack Williams explained why these locations were important to the drama.
Speaking to the press, he said: “We had pictures in our mind of where it took place”
“We wanted somewhere by the coast, but it wasn’t going to be the depiction of a traditional British TV coastal detective drama.
“We started to consider how to get a touch of that, but also somewhere urban that can also be rural, and we looked at a lot of different places.”
Jack continued: “We started from the coast and began working back, and as we looked around Yorkshire – and particularly Leeds and York – we found it offered a massive variety of locations to stitch together.”
“But it’s a slightly storybook version of it – which, again, felt on point thematically with what we’re trying to do.”
Meanwhile, Boat Story’s leading lady Daisy Haggard praised Yorkshire describing it as a “beautiful” place,
She told RadioTimes.com that eating fish and chips on her lunch break as a “high point”, and said there was a “bleak beauty” to being at the beach during winter “and the wind just stripping you”.
Who is in the cast of Boat Story?
Daisy Haggard plays Janet
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With a career spanning over two decades, Daisy Haggard has been featured in multiple well-known productions across theatre, film, and television.
She is known for her hit dark comedy Back To Life, and also Sky Comedy’s Breeders.
Daisy also appeared in Episodes alongside Matt LeBlanc.
Speaking to the BBC about her character in Boat Story,, Daisy said: “Janet is somebody who at the heart, is a really good person.
“She’s kind, but she’s had a really tough time.
“As we start the show, she plummets to her lowest ebb, and she’s placed in a situation where she makes a decision that I don’t think she would have made at another point in her life.
“She’s at rock bottom, she’s forced into a situation where a decision comes out of her that she otherwise wouldn’t have made.”
Paterson Joseph plays Samuel
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Paterson Joseph was born and raised in London and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
He’s worked extensively on both TV and Film, with his credits including Grantchester, Peep Show, and Green Wing, In The Name Of The Father.
Speaking to the BBC about the Boat Story, Paterson said: “I think that this story will divide a lot of viewers in the sides they take.
“Initially of course they’re on the sides of the two main characters, Janet and Samuel, because they think these guys are desperate and this money is there.
“But they must consider that the morality of it is a bit skewed. They should really call the police and they don’t.
“The consequences are some very bad people come after these two innocent people who have no idea how to deal with mobsters and drug runners.”
Tchéky Karyo plays The Tailor
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Tchéky Karyo’s early career started on stage, playing roles in both classical and contemporary works.
He later transitioned to a career in Film and TV where he has featured in numerous award-winning French and Hollywood films.
The actor’s notable film credits include La Femme Nikita, Vincent, Bad Boys, GoldenEye, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, The Patriot and Kiss of the Dragon.
Over on the small screen, his television roles include playing French detective Julien Baptiste in the BBC crime drama The Missing and its spin-off series Baptiste.
Speaking to the BBC about his role in Boat Story, Tchéky said: “To play this character, if there is one word for me, I suddenly had the vision of something fractal.
“That’s how this character is, because there are many moments where you get surprised by him and there are different levels of depths to his personality.
“You are in the matrix, because it’s told from different galaxies, perspectives and spaces.
“That’s why you enter this story and suddenly your head is being turned in different directions and spun on its axis due to the different roads it goes down.”
Joanna Scanlan plays Pat
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Award-winning actress Joanna Scanlan was brought up in North Wales, and studied History and Law at Cambridge University, where she joined the famous Footlights acting troupe.
Her first film role was After Love, which she won Lead Actress for both Bafta and BIFA.
She has also starred in Notes on a Scandal, Bridget Jones’s Baby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, How To Build a Girl, and How To Talk To Girls At Parties.
Over on TV, Joanna ha starred in many high profile shows including No Offence, Gentleman Jack, Requiem, The Thick of It, Little Britain, and Rev.
Speaking to the BBC about her character Pat in Boat Story, Joanna said: “Pat’s a late middle-aged ordinary woman, living in a town that she’s barely left in her lifetime, not looking for any adventure.
“She makes the best pasty in town, and she has a son who she lives alone with.
“She’s happy and she’s fine at the outset of this wild tale.”
Craig Fairbrass plays Guy
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After starting his career in EastEnders, Craig Fairbrass is now best known for the film franchise Rise of the Footsoldier (2007-present) which has seen him headline four films.
His other movie credits include Muscle (2019), Villain (2020) and A Violent Man (2021) – the latter winning him the Outstanding Performance award at the 2022 National Film Awards.
Speaking to the BBC about Boat Story’s script, Craig said: “As actors, we get lots of scripts to read and some are good, some are bad.
“But when you get something that is so special, it’s amazing. I got sent the first two episodes and I just didn’t get up.
“They were so good. It’s so well written, and so original. They literally blew me away.
“That is an amazing thing when you’re turning the page and you’re wondering where’s the character going and the stuff that comes into the story is amazing.”
The rest of the cast includes:
- Oliver Sheridan plays Alan
- Ethan Lawrence plays Ben
- Jonas Armstrong plays Arthur
- Michele Austin plays Camilla
- Cherie Gordon plays Anya
- Adam Gillen plays Vinnie
- Phil Daniels plays Craig
What is The Boat about?
When two hard-up strangers, Janet and Samuel, stumble across a haul of cocaine on a shipwrecked boat, they can’t believe their luck.
After agreeing to sell it and split the cash, they quickly find themselves entangled with police, masked hitmen, and a sharp-suited gangster known only as ‘The Tailor’.
You can watch the entire box set of Boat Story on the BBC iPlayer right now, and there are six episodes in total.
Alternatively, episodes are airing on BBC One every Sunday and Monday, ending on December 5, 2023.
