Babou Ceesay and Wunmi Mosaku to star

Babou Ceesay (Eye In The Sky, ’71) and Wunmi Mosaku (In The Flesh, Moses Jones) are to star in new 90-minute BBC One drama, Our Loved Boy.

Written by award-winning screenwriter and playwright Levi David Addai, Our Loved Boy tells the story of Damilola Taylor – the innocent 10-year old boy killed in 2000 on the streets of Peckham, shocking the nation. The drama will tell the story from the point of view of the Taylor family, exploring their journey from Lagos to London, the emotional repercussions of Damilola’s death and the family’s quest for justice.

Our Loved Boy does not depict the crime which ended Damilola’s life, but instead will focus on the impact of this crime upon the family. It will be a film about justice, redemption and love, and is being made with the consent and support of Damilola’s father, Richard Taylor OBE.

Babou will be playing Damilola’s father, Richard Taylor OBE. Babou said: “It is a real honour to be part of the telling of this story. I feel a responsibility to the family, to Richard Taylor and of course to Damilola Taylor. I hope that in our own small way we can contribute to his legacy.”

Wunmi is portraying Richard’s late wife, Gloria, who commented: “It is humbling to be a part of Our Loved Boy. Damilola’s smile still resonates deeply within the UK and beyond.”

In his debut for BBC One, Levi added: “I’ve been a fan of Babou and Wunmi for many years, and I’m absolutely delighted that they will be leading this fantastic cast. This story is about family, fatherhood and hope. Albeit a huge responsibility, I am very determined to do it justice.”

Damilola will be played by a new talented actor – a 12-year-old schoolboy born and raised in South London.

Our Loved Boy is made by Minnow Films and directed by BAFTA-winning director Euros Lyn (Capital, Happy Valley).