Paul Nicholls cast in new BBC children’s drama

Former soap star will play Carl in upcoming high school drama Phoenix Rise.

Paul Nicholls has been cast in new children’s drama Phoenix Rise which will air exclusively on the BBC iPlayer.

Phoenix Rise is set in a West Midlands school following a group of diverse teenagers who return back to mainstream education following exclusion. Paul will play the role of Carl, who fails to return home from a lorry driving job in Europe, leaving his two children home alone for months.

The cast will mainly comprise of young actors, who have also been revealed today.  They are Alex Draper (cast as Billy), Luca Alves (as Darcy), Lauren Corah (as Summer), Tara Webb (as Rani), Krish Bassi (as Khaled) and Imogen Baker (as Leila). Billy’s sister Rihanna is played by Orla McDonagh.

Paul Nicholls began his acting career in a number of children’s programmes. He rose to national fame in the 1990s playing Joe Wicks in BBC soap EastEnders.

“We’re thrilled to have Paul joining the talented cast and crew on Phoenix Rise as this contemporary new school drama gets underway in its Coventry production base.” – Helen Bullough, Head of Kids & Family Productions at BBC Studios

Produced by BBC Studios Kids and Family Productions, the drama is set to launch on BBC iPlayer next year. Filming for Phoenix Rise started earlier this month in and around the West Midlands city of Coventry.