STV
STV to produce six part prison drama for Channel 4
STV Studios this week revealed it had won a six-part drama commission from Channel 4.
Sarah Brown, Creative Director of Drama and Executive Producer for STV Studios
“Following our successful collaboration on The Victim, we’re thrilled to be teaming up again with the supremely talented Rob Williams to bring his latest series to the screen for Channel 4. I know audiences will fall in love with his funny, anarchic, memorable characters and be captivated once again by his brilliant storytelling. In Channel 4, we have the perfect partners to bring Rob’s bold and totally authentic portrayal of prison life to TV, and we’re also delighted to be working with the fantastic team at Banijay on distribution.” – Sarah Brown, Creative Director of Drama and Executive Producer for STV Studios
The prison series Screw will be filmed in 2021 and is written by Rob Williams.
Screw is a prison as never seen before – the uncensored, terrifying and often darkly funny reality of life as a prison officer in an all-male prison in 21st century Britain. At the centre of our gang of embattled officers is senior officer Leigh and new recruit Rose, two women who couldn’t be more different but who both carry secrets which, if discovered, could end careers and even lives.
STV has produced some of the UK’s best-loved dramas including Taggart for ITV.
One of the most recent was for BBC One with Elizabeth is Missing.
The production business once again join forces with the writer of critically acclaimed four-part thriller The Victim, Rob Williams – a collaboration which resulted in a BAFTA nomination for Best Mini-Series and saw the leading actress, Kelly Macdonald, win a BAFTA Scotland Award.
The commission follows the considerable success of STV Studios’ 2019 drama, Elizabeth is Missing, which also received five-star reviews and delivered significant audiences for BBC One. TV film Elizabeth is Missing, featuring two time Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson, was met with universal acclaim and has garnered numerous awards and nominations. It was shortlisted for a BAFTA TV Award in the Single Drama category in 2020, and Glenda Jackson won the prestigious leading actress BAFTA for her exceptional performance.
“Screw is a real passion for me; I’ve wanted to write about prisons ever since teaching in that environment in a former life. I’ve maintained close links since then and the idea has grown. After the experience of working with Sarah Brown and her team at STV Studios on The Victim, I wouldn’t want to pursue a project that means so much to me with anybody else. I feel very lucky to be working with Channel 4 on the show and I can’t wait to introduce the world of SCREW to as wide an audience as possible.” – Writer and Creator Rob Williams
Banijay Rights will manage the global distribution of Screw.
