Champion cast and all about new BBC drama from Candice Carty-Williams

Casting has been announced for new BBC drama Champion.

Written by Candice Carty-Williams, the award-winning writer of Sunday Times bestseller Queenie, Champion tells the story of what happens when fame collides with family.

Champion will air on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK and stream on Netflix worldwide.

The cast will feature Déja J Bowens in her TV debut alongside Malcolm Kamulete (Top Boy, Ill Manors), music sensation Ray BLK (also her TV debut), Nadine Marshall (Sherwood, Small Axe), Ray Fearon (His Dark Materials, Beauty and the Beast) and Jo Martin (Doctor Who, Top Boy).

The musical drama also stars Kerim Hassan (Once Upon a Time in London), Adeyinka Akinrinade (Everything I Know About Love, Top Boy), Tom Forbes (Wolf Hall, Knightfall), Genesis Lynea (Shadow and Bone, Silent Witness), Karl Collins (Attack The Block, Hollyoaks), Francis Lovehall (Small Axe, Death on the Nile), Corey Weekes (Coronation Street, Doctors) and Rachel Adedeji (Dreaming Whilst Black, Hollyoaks).

A teaser for the series shares: “Rap sensation Bosco Champion is home from prison, and ready to dominate the music industry once more.

“But when his dutiful younger sister Vita’s own talent is discovered by Bosco’s rival, Bulla, she steps out of her brother’s shadow to become a performer in her own right, setting the Champion siblings against one another and tearing apart the whole family in the process.”

Candice Carty-Williams said: “Champion is a celebration of Black music and of a Black family, however fragmented that family might be, and I can’t wait for the world to see their story.

“Since I knew what music was, I’ve loved grime and UK rap and neo-soul, to the point of obsession, and to bring to BBC One in the U.K. and Netflix globally a series that gives these genres of music life and texture is my dream, as is working with some of the best producers and songwriters making music today to create original tracks for the show.”

A start date for the series will be announced soon.