BritBox UK today announced that the streamer has commissioned an original comedy-drama series entitled The Dry; produced by Element Pictures, in association with Fís Eireann/Screen Ireland and ITV Studios, in partnership with RTÉ.
Award-winning playwright and screenwriter Nancy Harris (The Good Karma Hospital, Dates) and acclaimed director Paddy Breathnach (Viva, Rosie) are behind the eight-part series set in Dublin, which began shooting on Monday, and debuts exclusively on BritBox UK in 2022.
Starring Roisin Gallagher (The Fall, Nowhere Special), Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones, The Terror), Pom Boyd (Vanity Fair, Frank of Ireland), Siobhán Cullen (Origin, The Limehouse Golem), Moe Dunford (The Dig, Vikings) and newcomer Adam Richardson, The Dry celebrates the joyful chaos and dark absurdities of family life in a series that is all about recovery.
When Shiv Sheridan (Gallagher) returns to Dublin after years of partying in London, she is sober and full of good intentions – but being back with her family makes staying on ‘the dry’ much harder than she expected. As Shiv tries to navigate this new phase of her life, so must her family…and they all have issues they don’t want to face.
Emma Norton and Michael Dawson are executve producing for Element alongside company founders Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe and writer Nancy Harris. Element Pictures has offices in Dublin, London, and Belfast. The company recently brought the record-breaking adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People to the screen, and was behind Lenny Abrahamson’s internationally acclaimed films Room and The Little Stranger; as well as all of Yorgos Lanthimos’ English language films, The Favourite, The Lobster and The Killing Of A Sacred Deer, and upcoming production Poor Things.
We are delighted to be working with Element Pictures, Nancy, Paddy and the team to bring the Sheridans’ story to life, and are looking forward to sharing The Dry with our subscribers next year.
Will Harrison, Managing Director BritBox UK
In The Dry, Nancy Harris has created an irreverent, hilarious, and deeply moving story of addiction, recovery and fractured family relationships. We are thrilled to be working with Nancy, the inimitable Paddy Breathnach and our massively talented Irish cast and crew to bring the chaotic world of the Sheridan family to the BritBox audience.
Producers Element Pictures
We are delighted to support this emotional and powerful Irish TV drama from Element Pictures and the talented team behind The Dry. This is a great example of the calibre and scale of Irish story-telling and scripted series which are translating to audiences across the globe.
Andrew Byrne, Project Manager, Television – Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland
We’re very excited and proud to be collaborating with such a talented team in Element Pictures, Nancy Harris and Paddy Breathnach, and the wonderful cast of THE DRY to bring this heartfelt, mischievously funny, and emotionally impacting Irish story to the world.
Sam Atwell, Development Executive, RTÉ
I’m over the moon to be working with Element Pictures, Paddy Breathnach and this spectacular cast of insanely talented Irish actors. It’s a dream collaboration and I can’t wait to bring the BritBox audience this family comedy-drama which pivots on the oxymoron of giving up drink in Ireland.
Nancy Harris, Writer
I’m really delighted to be working with Element Pictures again and be part of bringing Nancy Harris’ extraordinary scripts to the screen. We have a truly brilliant cast of Irish actors on board and I can’t wait to get started.
Paddy Breathnach, Director
ITV Studios is handling global distribution for THE DRY.