The Young Team, a new six-part fictional drama series from BBC Scotland, has started filming in Glasgow. The coming-of-age story, based on Graeme Armstrong's award-winning novel, features a cast that includes young Scottish actors from Mobland and T2 Trainspotting, as well as stars from Breaking Bad.
Camera crews and actors were spotted in Govan on Monday morning (Oct 19) as part of the production. The series is directed by Paul McGuigan and is being made in association with FOX Entertainment Global and Screen Scotland, which will distribute the series worldwide.
Cast and Characters
In the leading roles are three Scottish actors: Jakob James Smith from Mobland plays 'Azzy', Connor Newall from 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple portrays 'Big Kenzie', and Scott Greenan, who appeared in T2 Trainspotting, plays 'Eck'.
They are joined by emerging talent from across Glasgow and North Lanarkshire, selected through an open casting process that saw over 1,000 young people apply.
Plot and Themes
The Young Team follows 15-year-old Alan Williams, nicknamed 'Azzy', and his friends on a Friday night in Airdrie. The group carry bottles of tonic wine, play music from small speakers, and want to join a local gang called 'The YTP'.
Azzy wants to smoke, take drugs and fight, but when he makes a bold move to prove himself, a brutal gang conflict emerges that he finds himself at the centre of. The series explores themes of friendship, identity, territorial violence and belonging, depicting the realities of addiction and gang violence for young, disenfranchised people.
Production and Casting
Jakob James Smith said of his role: "I’m absolutely buzzing to be playing Azzy. He’s such a complex character and there’s so much in his story about friendship, belonging and trying to find your place. Getting to film in North Lanarkshire, where the story is rooted, makes it feel even more special. I can’t wait for people to meet Azzy and the rest of the Young Team."
The cast also includes Kevin McKidd from Grey's Anatomy and Laura Fraser from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, who play two important figures in Azzy's life: his inspirational headteacher and his long-suffering mother.
The series is produced by BAFTA-winning and EMMY-nominated Synchronicity Films. Creator and writer Graeme Armstrong said: "The casting process by Synchronicity Films and Des Hamilton has been incredible to see coming alive. With both authenticity of language and a real sense of place at the forefront, they’ve built an amazingly talented group of young Scottish actors who, working with director Paul McGuigan on his homecoming project, will deliver something really special."
McGuigan added: "The Young Team has brought me back to direct in Scotland for the first time in 30 years and I can’t think of a more fitting way to mark my professional homecoming. It’s a privilege to work with our Young Team cast, an exciting new generation of working-class talent selected from an open audition process that saw over 1,000 young people apply. I cannot wait to see our Young Team characters come to life, as we bring Graeme’s iconic novel to the screen."
Release and Context
The Young Team is part of a growing list of BBC dramas from Scotland, including Counsels, Sutherland, Shetland, Half Man, Rebus and Vigil. The series will be coming to BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland.
