Stellar cast announced for BBC adaptation of Iain Banks’ Stonemouth

An impressive cast including Peter Mullan, Gary Lewis, Sharon Small, Christian Cooke and Charlotte Spencer are to star in new BBC drama, Stonemouth, a two-part dramatization of acclaimed author Iain Banks’ novel made by BBC Scotland and Slate North which starts shooting in Scotland this month, to air on both BBC One Scotland and BBC Two in 2015.

The first TV adaptation of Banks’ work since his death in 2013, Stonemouth is a rite-of-passage tale delving into love, loyalty and vengeance, focusing on the character of Stewart Gilmour played by Christian Cooke (The Promise, Magic City), who returns to the fictional village of Stonemouth for his best friend’s funeral. Run out of town a year earlier by girlfriend Ellie Murston’s criminal family, Stewart is forced to face up to his own past whilst uncovering the sinister truth behind his friend’s apparent suicide.

Charlotte Spencer (Glue, Line Of Duty) plays Ellie Murston and her father Don, the no-nonsense head of Stonemouth’s most notorious criminal family is played by Peter Mullan (Top Of The Lake, Sunshine On Leith). Sharon Small (Mistresses, Inspector Lynley Mysteries) plays Don’s wife and Ellie’s mother, Connie, with Gary Lewis (Gangs Of New York, Filth) as local businessman Mike MacAvett.

A BBC Scotland/Slate North co-production for both BBC One Scotland and BBC Two, Stonemouth also stars Brian Gleeson (Snow White & The Huntsman, The Eagle), Joy McAvoy (Filth, The Angel’s Share), Samuel Robertson (River City, Coronation Street), Kevin Mains (Outlander, Cilla), Jack Greenless (Sunset Song, Suspects), Gerard Miller (Short History Of Confetti), Gilly Gilchrist (Doors Open, River City), Chris Fulton and Naomi Battrick (My Almost Famous Family, Blood).

Christopher Aird, BBC Scotland’s Executive Producer on Stonemouth, says: “I am so pleased some of the best acting talent in the country will be appearing in Stonemouth. The scripts are really strong and we are very excited to be bringing Iain Banks’ novel to the screen in 2015.”

Andrea Calderwood, Slate North, adds: “I’m delighted that such a fabulous cast is joining us for Stonemouth – with David Kane’s great scripts and such a strong creative team, it feels like we will be doing Iain Banks proud.”

Written by David Kane (The Field Of Blood, Prime Suspect) and directed by Charles Martin (Run, Wallander and A&E’s US remake of The Returned), BBC’s TV adaptation of Stonemouth will film in locations around Scotland from the end of October 2014 and will air next year.

Stonemouth is a co-commission by Ewan Angus, BBC Scotland’s Head of Commissioning and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning. It will be executive produced by Christopher Aird for BBC Scotland and Andrea Calderwood for Slate North.

Looking forward to it, Crow Road has got on a bit…

A wee trailer fir yi 😉