Shane Meadows's new period drama, The Gallows Pole, is set to premiere on BBC Two and iPlayer on Wednesday 31st May at 9pm. The series, based on Benjamin Myers' book, explores what has been described as 'the biggest fraud in British history'.
The show is a fictionalised account of the true story of David Hartley and the Cragg Vale Coiners, a gang of weavers and land-workers. Michael Socha, known for his role in This Is England, stars as Hartley, who assembles the gang to create a revolutionary criminal enterprise that threatens to capsize the economy.
The cast also includes Sophie McShera as Grace, Thomas Turgoose as William Hartley, Yusra Warsama as Bethsheba, Anthony Welsh as Abe Oldfield, and Samuel Edward-Cook as Isaac Hartley. Meadows, acclaimed for his work on The Virtues and This Is England, said he wanted to delve into the history of the story and the circumstances that led an entire West Yorkshire community to risk their lives to feed their children.
Author Benjamin Myers praised Meadows's vision, noting that the series retains the feel of the book and was shot in the same landscapes where the true events occurred. All episodes will be available on iPlayer from the premiere date.
