A first look at BBC’s upcoming one-off drama My Name is Leon has been revealed.
The adaption of award-winning novel of the same name comes to BBC Two and iPlayer later this year.
The all star cast includes Sir Lenny Henry CBE (The Lord Of The Rings), Malachi Kirby (Small Axe), Monica Dolan (A Very English Scandal), Olivia Williams (Counterpart), Christopher Eccleston (The A Word), Poppy Lee Friar (In My Skin) and Shobna Gulati (Everybody’s Talking about Jamie).
Cole Martin plays the lead, Leon, in his first TV role.
My Name is Leon will air on Friday, 10 June at 9PM on BBC Two.
A teaser shares: “Set in 1980s Birmingham, this feature film tells the uplifting and incredibly moving story of nine year-old Leon, a mixed-race boy, and his quest to reunite his family after being taken into care and separated from his blond and blue-eyed baby brother.
“Told through Leon’s eyes, we follow his journey, full of energy and hopefulness despite the hardships he encounters, and witness the touching relationship between him and his foster carer Maureen.
“With his favourite action figure Sergeant Smith by his side, Leon’s adventure teaches him valuable lessons about himself, the world, love, and what family, in its various guises, really means.
“Set against the backdrop of the race riots in the 1980s, this tender and inspiring tale balances gritty realism with charm and gentle humour, exploring the issues of identity and belonging with both urgency and wit.”
The special one-off film is Shola Amoo’s first screenplay for television and directed by Lynette Linton, her directorial debut on a television drama.
