Loved Queenie? Everything We Know About Candice Carty-Williams’ New BBC Series
The BBC is making itself the place to be for great miniseries: from the second series of the acclaimed Time to the Stephen Graham starring Boiling Point and the engrossing-looking The Woman in the Wall. Candice Carty-Williams, who wrote the best-selling novel Queenie and People Person, is developing a new series with the BBC entitled Champion, a “celebration of Black music and of a Black family.” It’s centred around a South London family that doesn’t always get along, and the musical rivalries within that could drive it apart.
Here’s Everything We Know About Champion
Newcomer Déja J Bowens is set to star in the new Champion series as Vita, the sister and PA to rap phenomenon Bosco Champion (played by Malcolm Kamulete), who dominated the music industry before he was jailed and sent to prison. Returning back home, Bosco expects to find success once again- but is threatened to be upstaged by the newly discovered talent of Vita.
The one who found that Vita also has the potential to become a star performer is none other than Bosco’s longtime rival, Bulla, and this combined with the fact that he had been used to being the golden boy of the Champion family turns him against his sister. The two siblings both start clashing with each other, with Bosco wanting to reclaim his glory and Vita seeing how far she can go to finally get out of her brother’s shadow. This newfound rivalry creates fractures with the family and threatens to pull it apart.
Carty-Williams said of the story that it celebrates the family, “however fragmented [they] might be… …I can’t wait for the world to see their story.” Music is the heart and soul of the series, with original music written by some of the UK’s best industry talent, like Ray BLK (who also appears in the cast) and Ghetts: “[developing] a series that gives these genres of music life and texture is my dream, as is working with some of the best producers and songwriters making music today to create original tracks for the show”, continues the author.
Champion will also star Nadine Marshall (Sherwood), Jo Martin (Doctor Who), Ray Fearon (His Dark Materials), and the eight 45-minute episodes will air later in 2023 on BBC One, and release on Netflix internationally. We’ll update you once a trailer and release date are announced.
Can’t wait until the Champion series? Check out the latest April streaming releases