‘Peaky Blinders’ writer’s new WW2 drama is ‘like nothing we’ve seen before’
More details have been revealed on Steven Knight’s upcoming SAS: Rogue Heroes drama.
Knight – the writer behind Peaky Blinders, Taboo, and A Christmas Carol – has created this action-packed new BBC series about the origins of the world’s most renowned and ruthless Special Forces unit, the SAS.
Set during darkest days of World War Two, SAS: Rogue Heroes is based on Ben Macintyre’s best-selling book Rogue Heroes.
The official synopsis reads: “Cairo, 1941. David Stirling – an eccentric young officer, hospitalised after a training exercise went wrong – is bored.
“Convinced that traditional commando units don’t work, he creates a radical plan that flies in the face of all accepted rules of modern warfare. He fights for permission to recruit the toughest, boldest and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines.
“More rebels than soldiers, Stirling’s team are every bit as complicated, flawed and reckless as they are astonishingly brave and heroic.”
The cast includes Connor Swindells (Sex Education), Jack O’Connell (Skins), Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones), Sofia Boutella (Atomic Blonde), and Dominic West (The Wire).
Writer and creator Steven Knight commented: “I’m really excited to be gathering together the very best of a new generation of British and International talent to tell this remarkable story.
“The people who are depicted and who did such extraordinary things were young, in their 20s, and we have made a conscious decision to cast people of the same age. We enter this project with a spirit of adventure and believe our young and talented actors will do justice to this period of history.”
Executive producers Karen Wilson, Martin Haines and Emma Kingsman-Lloyd said: “Steven’s remarkable scripts are packed with charismatic, complex characters, and we could not be happier with the dazzling array of talent who’ll be bringing them to life on screen.
“We’re delighted that filming is now underway on this truly special series, and can’t wait for audiences to meet our Rogue Heroes.”
Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, added: “Combining a fascinating, little-known story with all the intelligence and swagger that Steven Knight’s writing is known for, SAS: Rogue Heroes will be like nothing we’ve seen before.
“It’s no surprise that a cast of such high calibre have signed up to bring these bold, brilliant and thoroughly entertaining characters to the screen.”
SAS: Rogue Heroes will hopefully premiere on BBC One in the UK in late 2021.
Production is underway on the series, with Tom Shankland (The Serpent, The Missing) directing and Stephen Smallwood (Patrick Melrose, The Serpent) producing.
The final season of Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders resumed filming earlier this year, but the future of Taboo is looking less positive.
Ben Macintyre’s book Rogue Heroes is available on Amazon.