A new BBC drama starring Emmy award-winning actor Matthew Rhys has been spotted filming in Oldham this morning (November 6). The six-part series, titled Dragon Slayers, will explore the work of Sir Harry Evans, former editor of The Sunday Times.
Filming at Chadderton Facility
In keeping with the theme of the show, the crew was spotted at the Manchester Evening News' own newspaper printing and distribution facility in Chadderton. However, the crew would not confirm what parts of the series they were filming.
Matthew Rhys will star as Harry in the series on BBC One, which explores how Harry's Insight team became a byword for investigative journalism and broke some of the biggest stories in UK history.
Series Background and Cast
Set in the 1970s, Dragon Slayers will be based on wide-ranging research, published accounts, and interviews with those who knew and worked with Harry, including his widow, editor, author, and journalist Tina Brown CBE, and the Evans family.
Speaking about the series, Matthew Rhys said: "At a time when stories of this nature are imperative, I am thrilled to be a part of this show."
According to the BBC, the series will focus on how Harry's Insight team, whose commitment to the readers of the newspaper, saw them take on powerful corporations, the legal establishment, and 'often the government itself'.
Creative Team Comments
BAFTA award-winning writer Peter Bowker said: "Telling the story of Harry Evans and the work of his Insight team is both a privilege and a joy. And having Matthew leading the cast is more than we could have hoped for. All of us are now united by a desire to honour the passion, doggedness and humour of this remarkable group of people. I hope the drama will make us take a fresh look at both journalism and that much maligned decade - the 1970s."
The team fought for the victims of Thalidomide, unmasking the cover-ups that kept the public in the dark about the scandal. They worked to uncover the truth behind the DC-10 crash, then the world's worst air disaster, and they faced down treason charges in exposing Kim Philby as one of the most successful spies of the 20th century.
Impact and Significance
Patrick Spence, Managing Director of AC Chapter One, said: "The generational impact of Harry and his magnificent team acts as a powerful reminder of how much democracy relies on a fearless press, and what would happen if they could no longer shed light where it is most needed."
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: "Dragon Slayers is a rollercoaster story, each episode gripping and powerful, written with Pete Bowker's signature wit and sense of purpose. The investigative stories which were broken by Harry and his team carry as much power and purpose today as they did at the time. It's a real coup that the wonderful Matthew Rhys will star as the iconic Harry Evans."
Tina Brown added: "I could not be more thrilled that such a talented and creative team has come together to bring to the screen some of Harry's most inspiring journalistic achievements at the Sunday Times, and that the brilliant and versatile Matthew Rhys will be playing him."
