Cast announced BBC One Manchester-set drama, From There To Here.

A stellar cast has been announced for Peter Bowker‘s new 3-part, BBC One drama, From There To Here, produced by Kudos Film & Television.

Leading the cast is: Philip Glenister (Life On Mars, Mad Dogs), Bernard Hill (Five Days, Lord Of The Rings), Steven Mackintosh (What Remains, Inside Men), Saskia Reeves (Wallander, Luther), Liz White (Life On Mars, The Woman In Black), Daniel Rigby (Big School, Eric And Ernie) and Morven Christie (Hunted, 2012).

The drama begins in June 1996 on the day an IRA bomb destroyed much of Manchester’s City Centre – the same summer England was united in optimism for Euro 96′.

From There To Here tells the story of a city, an era, and two families from different sides of the tracks whose lives are brought together in the aftermath of the bomb. The story spans the four years that changed Manchester and the country forever; from ‘Football’s Coming Home’ in 1996, to New Labour sweeping to power in 1997, and finally to the hangover after the Millennium celebrations of 2000.

Daniel Cotton (Glenister) and his father Samuel (Hill) run a sweet factory and Daniel has the perfect Cheshire family, with his wife Clare (Reeves), son Charlie (Rigby) and daughter Louise (Christie). His rough diamond/street wise brother Robbo (Mackintosh) has a serious rift with his father, and is immersed in the rough urban life of Manchester where he runs a night club.

Daniel, Samuel and Robbo are caught up in the blast alongside hotel cleaner Joanne (White). Their survival of a near death experience provokes changes in their lives that soon spin out of control.

Peter Bowker, creator and executive producer, commented: “I wanted to write a love letter to Manchester – warts ‘n all – and to do it through a family saga that captured something of the city’s pace, life and humour. To attract a cast of this quality and a director of the calibre of James Strong is incredibly exciting and just about compensates for the presence of a City fan as executive producer in the form of fellow Mancunian, Derek Wax.”

Philip Glenister said: “I’m really excited to be involved in such a terrific new drama written by Peter Bowker. Also to be working alongside such an outstanding cast and crew. And of course to be back filming in my adopted home town of Manc!”

Derek Wax, executive producer at Kudos, said: “I am so excited to be embarking on a new Manchester epic with Pete, so different in every way from our previous Manchester-based collaborations, Occupation and Flesh And Blood. In From There To Here, Pete brings to life a family, city and era with complexity, originality, scale and humour. And I am delighted that the project has attracted such a brilliant cast, as well as the wonderful director James Strong (Broadchurch).”

The mini-series is produced by Tim Bricknell (The Fear, Eric And Ernie), executive produced by Derek Wax (Occupation, The Hour) and Peter Bowker (Occupation, Eric And Ernie) for Kudos Film & Television and executive produced by Stephen Wright, Head of Drama BBC Northern Ireland. Director is James Strong (Broadchurch, United).

Filming of From There To Here begins in the Manchester area this month (September).