Two Tone: what is new BBC drama from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight about, and where will it be filmed?

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is working on a new project for BBC One which will revisit a rich period of England’s music history.

Two Tone will celebrate the music movement of the same name which flourished in England in the last century.

The six-part series will be produced by Kudos, a Banijay UK Company, and Nebulastar, in association with Kudos North, Stigma Films and Nick Angel.

Knight, who has written and is executive producer of the series, said that the soundtrack will be sensational.

What is Two Tone about?

The series will follow an extended family and four young people who are drawn into the world of two tone music.

This musical genre, which fused elements of Jamaican ska with punk rock, grew from the grass roots of Coventry and Birmingham in the late 70s and early 80s.

Two tone music brought together black, white and Asian youths in an expression of unity.

The Selecter, The Beat and Madness were some of the British bands to come out of the Two Tone movement.

Where will the series be filmed?

The series will be filmed later this year at the new Digbeth Loc. Film and TV studio in Birmingham.

The studio, which is run by Birmingham’s own Knight, will also be the home of MasterChef from 2024 and is where the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie is due to be filmed.

Knight said: “This is a project that’s literally very close to home and I’m developing characters and themes that are set in the early 80s but hopefully are very contemporary.

Karen Wilson, Kudos Executive Producer, added: “Steven’s passion for this  project is palpable so I couldn’t be more excited to be making it for BBC One.

“Set in the West Midlands, against a moment of real cultural and historical progression, it will be compelling, diverse and will have a rocking soundtrack to boot.”

Other projects recently filmed in Birmingham include the three part drama series Stonehouse, and the detective series DI Ray.

Who is Steven Knight?

Knight is a screenwriter and director, best known as the mastermind behind the Birmingham gangster epic, Peaky Blinders - but he has a host of other projects under his belt.

He is the showrunner of the Tom Hardy mystery series Taboo and has also written for the upcoming Second World War drama All the Light We Cannot See, and the miniseries SAS: Rogue Heroes.

Knight also confirmed that he had the story of the Peaky Blinders movie in his head and that shooting for the film would start in 2023.

Regarding Two Tone, Ben Irving, acting director of BBC Drama, said: “Steven has taken his knowledge of this time and place and used it to weave a brilliantly original and characterful drama, set against the musical backdrop of ska and two tone.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring this unique piece to viewers on the BBC.”

When is the release date?

No release date has been confirmed yet. However, with filming expected to start later this year, a release in mid to late 2023 is likely.