HomeTVZoe Wanamaker, Miranda Richardson to lead new ITV series Girlfriends

Zoe Wanamaker, Miranda Richardson to lead new ITV series Girlfriends

ITV have announced their upcoming six part drama series Girlfriends starring Zoë Wanamaker (My Family, Poirot), Miranda Richardson (Blackadder, The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle and Churchill) and Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey, The Good Karma Hospital).

The series has been written by BAFTA-Award winning Kay Mellor and sees the case struggle with the responsibilities of being women ‘of a certain age’. Don’t let the casting of Wanamaker and Richardson fool you though, Girlfriends is not a comedy, it is a hard hitting drama covering often overlooked real life issues.

Girlfriends will deal with themes of death, divorce, discrimination and family told through the lens of three lifelong friends. In supporting one another through their respective crises their friendship will be severely tested as secrets, accusations and revelations seep out with each passing moment.
After the dramatic and sudden death of Linda’s husband Micky, childhood friends Linda (Logan), Sue (Richardson) and Gail (Wanamaker) find themselves back together again. Each has their own problems to face; from a looming divorce from the husband she still loves and the loss of a high-powered job through age discrimination, to juggling the endless responsibilities of their grandchildren and aging mothers.

As widowed Linda tries to come to terms with being on her own after over 30 years of marriage, she and her girlfriends are horrified to find that this could be the least of her worries. As questions over the circumstances of Micky’s death start to be asked, accusations reveal secrets, deception and doubts that tear at our Girlfriends’ friendship. Will it endure or will it be severely put to the test?
Mellor has said that giving representation to women and the issues they face is a major driving force behind the series; ‘I’m aware that there are a lot of women of a certain age who feel like they are invisible and unheard, so I’m proud to have the chance to shine a light on their lives and give them a voice. The series is not just a platform for their voices though – there is a big, bold, dark story at its heart, which is shot through with humour. I’m hoping both men and women will love it as much as I’ve loved writing it.

So, a stellar cast, an award winning writer and gritty but relatable subject matter. Girlfriends sounds like a series certain to delight and move audiences in equal measure.

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