BBC One's Half Man makes its debut tonight, with excitement building for the latest major show from the creator of Baby Reindeer. The series has been teased as an "explosion of violence" and explores the 30-year dynamic between Ruben (Richard Gadd) and Niall (Jamie Bell), teenagers brought together by circumstances who become inseparable. Decades later, Ruben unexpectedly appears at Niall's wedding, and viewers are taken back to the 1980s where their story of brotherhood and violence truly began.
Where Was BBC Half Man Filmed?
Half Man was primarily filmed in Glasgow last year, which also serves as the drama's setting. According to the Greenock Telegraph, Gadd and Bell were spotted with a film crew in Gibshill, Greenock, approximately 20 miles west of Glasgow. The production also features Stuart Campbell as young Ruben.
When asked about the filming locations in a Q&A, Gadd explained: "I know Scotland really well, I've lived in Glasgow for four years, now thanks to this show five-and-a-half. I grew up in Scotland, east coast, not west, but I love Glasgow as a city, it's got such a strong identity. If you think about Niall and Ruben, they go through this change and it's funny, when I grew up, Glasgow was the scary place and Edinburgh was the place you'd go for a nice day out, and Glasgow's the scary one. That was how I grew up thinking of Glasgow…and it's moved now to be one of the gay capitals of the world, it's gone through its own seismic shift and I find that really interesting. To mirror Niall's struggle, he's actually living and existing in a place that's evolving faster than he is."
Cast and Characters
At the heart of Half Man is its creator and executive producer Richard Gadd as Ruben, famed for his controversial Netflix drama Baby Reindeer. Opposite him as Niall is Jamie Bell, best known for starring as the titular Billy Elliot in the iconic 2000 film. Bell is also set to star in the upcoming Peaky Blinders sequel series as Tommy Shelby's son Duke. Their younger counterparts are played by Stuart Campbell (Rogue Heroes) and Mitchell Robertson (Curfew) as Ruben and Niall, respectively.
Half Man premieres tonight, Tuesday, April 28, at 10.40pm on BBC One.
