Spin-off series to hit drama The Split set in Manchester announced by BBC

The BBC has announced a new divorce court drama which will be set in Manchester.

The new series, called The Split Up, will be a spin-off to Abi Morgan’s hit legal drama, The Split.

Last time, the show followed a family of divorce lawyers set in London, which came to a dramatic ending with a third and final series.

Two years after The Split – which starred Nicola Walker and Stephen Mangan – the BBC have announced a new show which will focus on a single family of lawyers, the Kishans, who run a ‘British Asian high net worth family law firm’, according to a synopsis.

Noted for its clientele and its reputation, Kishan Law are the ‘go-to firm’ for Manchester’s elite, who come to them for not only their excellence but also for discretion. 

And like the Defoe’s before them, the Kishan family firm’s future will hang in the balance after a family secret comes back to haunt them, throwing their lives into a rollercoaster journey.

The series will be made up of six one-hour episodes which explore the weight of parental expectation, the forces that keep families together, and the truths that tear them apart.

It’s understood none of the original cast will feature in the new drama. The Split Up’s creator, Ursula Rani Sarma will introduce new characters for the new series based on The Split.

Speaking about the new spin-off series, The Split creator Abi Morgan said: “After the success of The Split, it’s been great to see The Split Up take shape in lead writer Ursula Rani Sarma’s capable hands, reinvigorating all that audiences love.

“A new legal family, grabbing at life in a new city, battling new legal cases, as the professional and personal deliciously collide.

“A brilliant new cast of characters caught in the messiness of love, marriage, deception and divorce, make it their own. It is ripe to be taken into the hearts of anyone who loved the show.”

Ursula added: “I watched The Split with admiration over the years and I was honoured to be asked to create The Split Up: a spin off which introduces a whole new family and city while still holding on to the warmth, humour and heartbreak of Abi Morgan’s original series.

“To be able to place a contemporary British Asian family, helmed by brilliant women, at the heart of a primetime drama series is a dream come true for me as a writer who believes strongly in the importance of representation on our screens.

“It has been a joy to work alongside Abi as well as Lucy Dyke, Jane Featherstone and Sumrah Mohammed at SISTER to bring it to glorious life.”

Filming will take place in Manchester but no exact locations or start date have yet been announced.

The Split Up will be available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. For further announcements, watch this space.

Got a story to tell?

Have you got a story or video you think our audience will love? We want to hear from you, drop us an email on submit@propermanchester.com and we’ll get back to you.