Two hapless civilians, one shipwreck and an enormous stash of cocaine. Chaos ensues.
If you’re tired of the same-old detective dramas, Boat Story might prove to be a refreshing breath of sea air.
The six-part thriller comes from the Williams brothers, who recently won a horde of new fans with BBC One’s unpredictable The Tourist, which is returning for a second season with Jamie Dornan.
In a sense, Boat Story feels like a natural escalation, cranking up the chaos on every front as two ordinary people – Samuel (Paterson Joseph) and Janet (Daisy Haggard) – discover a shipment of cocaine washed up on their sleepy coastal town.
As the only witnesses, they decide to scarper with the illegal substance in the hope that selling it on could change their lives forever, but the authorities are on their trail – as well as a bloodthirsty crime boss.
Here’s everything you need to know about Boat Story on BBC One and iPlayer.
Boat Story release date speculation
The BBC is yet to announce a release date for Boat Story, but the series is expected to be part of the broadcaster’s winter line-up, with a pre-Christmas air date seeming likely.
We’ll update this page as soon as the Boat Story schedule is confirmed.
Boat Story cast
The cast of Boat Story is led by Daisy Haggard (Back to Life) and Paterson Joseph (Peep Show), who play the hapless individuals suddenly thrown into a potentially deadly criminal conspiracy.
Atop their list of worries is a crime boss called The Tailor, played chillingly by Baptiste‘s Tchéky Karyo, who is rather keen to get his highly valuable produce back.
Craig Fairbrass (One Piece) co-stars as his brutal enforcer, Guy, while Joanna Scanlan (The Larkins) plays a local woman named Pat, who finds herself drawn into the rapidly spiralling events.
Rounding out the cast of Boat Story is Phil Daniels (Inside No. 9), Adam Gillen (Benidorm), Michele Austin (This is Going to Hurt), Jonas Armstrong (Hollington Drive), Ethan Lawrence (After Life), plus screen newcomers Oliver Sheridan and Cherie Gordon.
What is Boat Story about?
Boat Story follows the disastrous events that unfold after Samuel and Janet steal an enormous stash of cocaine from a menacing crime boss after it washes up in their sleepy seaside town.
They hope to quickly sell on the supply for a huge sum of money, but quickly find its not so easy to set foot in the murky world of organised crime and escape unscathed.
With an unconventional narrative structure and regular sprinklings of dark humour, Boat Story looks to be one of the more unusual offerings on the BBC’s scripted drama line-up this year.
Boat Story trailer
The official trailer for Boat Story arrived in October 2023, giving viewers a peek at what’s to come. Watch below:
Boat Story is coming soon to BBC One and iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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