Richard Gadd

All of Us Strangers’ Jamie Bell will star as Niall, the estranged brother of Ruben, played by Gadd. The story will follow their tumultuous relationship while dissecting the meaning of ‘manhood’, starting with an apocalyptic row at Niall’s wedding. The narrative then rockets backwards, covering 40 years of their relationship, beginning with the two as teens in the 1980s. 

Playing the two in their younger years will be Mitchell Robertson (Curfew) and Stuart Campbell (SAS Rogue Heroes) as Niall and Ruben respectively.

It might be surprising, then, that one of its editors’ other work is positively whimsical. Mike Holliday’s CV includes considerably lighter-hearted shows, among them Horrible Histories and Ghosts. Sure, Baby Reindeer is also a comedy – when it wants to be – but it’s hard to imagine Donny Dunn ranting on CBBC. However, Holliday was hired because of, not despite this experience.

“It wasn’t drama they were looking for in my background: it was comedy,” he tells me. “That side is considered harder.”