Three Little Birds – a six-part series about Black womanhood, and those who left their homeland for a new life in Britain – is coming to ITV this autumn…
Sir Lenny Henry’s upcoming TV drama, Three Little Birds, written and exec produced by the brilliant comedian and actor himself – is heading to ITV this autumn, and further afield in 2024.
It will be led by rising stars Rochelle Neil (The Nevers, Guilt), Yazmin Belo (What Just Happened) and Saffron Coomber (Tracey Beaker Returns, Eastenders).
THREE LITTLE BIRDS
(Left to right – Yazmin Belo, Rochelle Neil, Saffron Coomber)
The trio made their red-carpet debut at this year’s TV BAFTAs, ahead of the series coming to ITV and ITVX this Autumn (and BritBox International in the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa and Nordic markets in 2024).
Spirited, moving, funny and utterly heartfelt, the series, filmed in the Midlands where of course Sir Lenny hails from, is a triumphant celebration of immigration, community and the strength of Black womanhood – inspired by the life-affirming stories of Henry’s mother – and all those who have travelled to make Britain their home.
Says Sir Lenny: ‘My mother spoke often about how difficult life was back in the day when she first arrived in Britain to begin her new life.
‘The stories she told and indeed the narratives my brothers and sisters beguiled me with over the dinner table made me think about writing a fictional account of three Caribbean women; all with differing yet complementary attributes – a serious tenacious one, a quick witted flibbertigibbet and a Christian prude…’
‘They all get to the UK with one thing on their minds – a new life. Although these are fictional accounts, my mother’s narrative will run throughout these stories and hopefully, the stories of other post Windrush arrivals will trigger memories, smiles and tears too…’
Image: Twitter @LennyHenry
Set in 1957, post-Windrush, and amidst the booming decade set alight by promise, the rhythm of rock and roll, swing, Hollywood starlets and fabulous fashion (we can’t wait to check out the threads!) Three Little Birds will introduce Dudley and the rest of the world to gregarious sisters Leah (Neil) and Chantrelle (Coomber) and their virtuous, bible-loving acquaintance, Hosanna (Belo), as they board a cruise ship from Jamaica bound for a new life in Blighty.
Lured to the UK in search of new beginnings and by their older brother Aston (Javone Prince – Dodger), who asks Leah and Chantrelle if they’ll bring him a potential wife from back home, they convince Hosanna to give up her job as a trainee nurse and embark upon the journey to ‘the mother country’.
An effervescent mix of strong personalities they all have very different reasons for leaving their family and friends behind in Clarendon, Jamaica, though they soon discover it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, not least the dramatic change in weather!
While we learn shocking truths about the lives they left behind, the voyage of discovery is not smooth sailing for our trio, but they are determined to succeed and overcome the many obstacles of integration and build a new life in Britain.
The series also stars Bobby Gordon (Hollyoaks) as the sisters’ new factory-worker colleague Shelton, and Arthur Darvill (The Sandman, Broadchurch) and Beth Hayes (Mr Selfridge, Black Mirror) as Chantrelle’s employers Mr and Mrs Wantage, who expect far more from her than just cooking shepherd’s pie and minding their three children as their new live-in Nanny.
We can’t wait to watch this one…
See the brilliant cast of Three Little Birds being interviewed on the BAFTA red carpet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqVUoib4fyQ.
