BBC releases details on second series of The Syndicate
Mark Addy and Alison Steadman are to star in the second series of BBC One drama The Syndicate.
They are joined in the second series, written by Bafta award-winning writer Kay Mellor, by Siobhan Finneran, Natalie Gavin and Jimi Mistry.
Series two sees the action centre around five hospital workers each on a low income who win a life changing £72,000,000 to share between them. Mandy (Finneran), Rose (Steadman), Alan (Addy), Becky (Natalie Gavin) and Tom (Mistry) suddenly have more than enough money to realise all their hopes and dreams. But as Lennon and McCartney put it ‘money don’t buy you love’ and it doesn’t always buy you happiness either.
Tom has been working as a nurse for seven years. Both Tom and his girlfriend Natalie are ecstatic with their newly acquired wealth. The lottery money can finally help them realise their dream of having a baby.
Dancing was her passion, but when her knees gave up, so did Rose’s hope of ever dancing again. After years on the waiting list for a double knee replacement, winning 14 million offers her a solution.
Becky, a 22-year-old single mother is Mandy’s daughter and was only accepted into the syndicate when colleague Helen quit four and a half months ago. She took over Helen’s numbers – she always meant to change them, just never got round to it – which was lucky because it was Helen’s numbers that won!
Alan is an alcoholic but on the wagon. That is until he wins the lottery and sips his first taste of a millionaire’s lifestyle – a glass of champagne! It’s a slippery slide downhill but at least now he can afford a new liver! Twice divorced, life hasn’t always been kind to St Anthony’s friendliest porter.
Speaking about the second series Kay Mellor says: “The Syndicate is a drama series of our time. As the world recession bites harder and deeper, more and more people are doing the lottery. It gives them the weekly hope of winning their way out of debt and poverty. They are five little balls away from living their dream or so they think!”
The Syndicate was re-commissioned by BBC One Controller, Danny Cohen, and Ben Stephenson, Controller of Drama Commissioning.
The executive producer for BBC One is Polly Hill, who adds: “We are delighted to be making a second series of the acclaimed drama, The Syndicate. Kay’s brilliant scripts have once again attracted an incredible cast that will make this drama a real treat for the BBC One audience next year.”
Sally Rogers, Steven Waddington, Cathy Breeze, Jennifer James, Amelia Curtis and Karl Davies will also appear in the second series.
The Syndicate will return to BBC One in 2013.