Lenny Henry’s Windrush Drama, Three Little Birds, Is Coming To ITV This Year
Looking for great dramas to binge through? ITVX has been making some really good ones lately, from The Long Shadow to Breathtaking and Joan and their upcoming series Three Little Birds, written by Lenny Henry, is no exception. Teaming with Doctor Who and Years and Years writer Russell T Davies, the six part miniseries is based on the life and experiences of Henry’s mother, Winifred, as she moved to Britain from Jamaica as one of the Windrush generation in 1957. It’s set to arrive on ITV and streaming later this year.
What is Three Little Birds about?
Taking inspiration from Winifred Henry’s arrival in Dudley in the West Midlands, the series is set in the late 1950s, as the Windrush generation begins to arrive in the UK. Seeking new lives, central character Leah (Rochelle Neil) and her sister Chantrelle (Saffron Coomber) step onto a cruise ship departing Jamaica. They’re joined by their much more virtuous acquaintance Hosanna (Yazmin Belo), who is fond of the bible and its teachings, and head for Britain. They each have their own reasons for leaving their family, friends and surroundings in Jamaica, and each of them find that their move will not be as easy as they imagined.
What else do we know?
As the three women go about beginning new lives, they clash with series obstacles in the way of them and prosperity. Personalities and cultures clash, and our characters face issues as they integrate into Britain. Despite their initial bumpy troubles, all three are determined to make sure that they succeed and create a life for themselves in Britain anyway. Henry commented to Radio Times that Three Little Birds takes inspiration from stories from his mother and aunt, and that the series at its core is about showing resilience and overcoming difficulties, as well as being about women and feminism. The series coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Windrush generation’s arrival to the UK, and Henry felt that he wanted to create something that would tell their stories.
Who else stars, and when does it release?
In addition to the three main cast members, Three Little Birds is set to also star Javone Prince (PhoneShop) as Aston, Bobby Gordon (The Phoebus Files) as Shelton, Amy Beth Hayes (Black Mirror) as Mrs Wantage, and Doctor Who’s Arthur Darvill as Mr Wantage. There’s no definite release date yet, but Henry has said that the show is set to air in late 2023, and ITV has released some first look images.
Three Little Birds will be available on ITVX