By James Hibbs

Published: Wednesday, 10 August 2022 at 12:00 am


Sean Bean’s brand-new BBC series Marriage sees him paired up with Nicola Walker, as the drama charts a married couple’s daily life over a period of a few days.

For fans of Bean, whose roles have included Ned Stark in Game of Thrones and Joseph Wilford in Snowpiercer, they may be expecting some high drama or serious twists from the new show – however, Bean has suggested they should realign their expectations.

Speaking about the series, Bean said that Marriage was a show where “people will be able to see many things that they can relate to in their own lives and their own relationships”, while stressing that “there aren’t any big stunts or reveals, it’s just a very simple story; simply told, about people and the complications of daily life”.

The series comes from writer Stefan Golaszewski, and fans of his other series Mum and Him & Her will likely recognise the creator’s naturalistic style in what Bean describes.

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Sean Bean and Nicola Walker in Marriage.
BBC / The Forge / Rory Mulvey

Bean also went on to note that the series “only takes place over 12 days or so” and that “it’s an extract of that time” in his character Ian and Walker’s character Emma’s lives.

He continued: “However, what is in those days is rich, revealing and you see what a relationship is… what a marriage is. Their doubts, fears, joy, happiness and heartbreak that go into everyday living.”

The official synopsis for the series says that we follow Ian and Emma as “the drama explores the risks and the gifts of a long-term intimate relationship. Sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always revealing.”

Starring alongside Bean and Walker are James Bolam, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Chantelle Alle, who play Emma’s father, her boss and her and Ian’s adopted daughter Jessica respectively.

You can read our full review of Marriage right here.

Marriage will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 14th August at 9pm. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.

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