First-look pictures released for upcoming original BBC drama series Counsels

A suite of first-look pictures has been released for the new, high stakes, BBC legal drama Counsels. Co-created by Scottish writers Bryan Elsley (The Crow Road, Skins) and Gillian McCormack (BBC Writers Drama Room graduate). The eight-part series is made by Balloon Entertainment (Champion, Clique, Newark Newark) in association with Banijay Rights and in co-production with ZDFneo is coming to BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland in early 2027.

Counsels follows the lives of a group of twentysomething lawyers in Glasgow in the crucial moment when, a few years out of university, their careers finally become serious. Working across the legal landscape, whether as public prosecutors, slick representatives of glossier law firms or the shabby and good-hearted last resort of those with nothing left to lose, each one of them is out to win. They are colleagues jostling for promotion, adversaries professionally and personally and lovers trying to hold onto one another as ambitions accelerate. And now’s the time things are going to catch fire.

The young lawyers - Jamie, Bav, Nadine, Alasdair, Katie and Karina - are played by an ensemble cast of Brandon Grace (My Lady Jane, Hamlet Hail to the Thief), Ro Kumar (Traces, Accidental Death of an Anarchist), Eilidh Park (Wind of Change), George Prentice (The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of The Merlin), Alyth Ross (Last Light, Dirty Angels) and Rebecca Bell (Outlander: Blood of My Blood). Together, the characters navigate their sometimes complex and messy lives, whilst exploring the challenging yet thrilling world of their profession.

The up-and-coming cast are joined by a brilliant range of established talent including: Michelle Gomez (Doom Patrol, The Flight Attendant), Derek Riddell (Happy Valley, Industry), Laura Haddock (What It Feels Like For A Girl, The Recruit), Daniela Nardini (This Life, Sunset Song), Michael Nardone (Traces, The Night Manager), Sally Howitt (Dinosaur, River City), Stuart Bowman (Department Q, Only Child), Neshla Caplan (The Rig, Rebus), Stephen Purdon (River City, Sweet Sixteen) and introducing Mhairi Black, in her acting debut.

Counsels (8x60’) was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, and Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland. It is co-created, written and executive produced by Bryan Elsley and Gillian McCormack, with further episodes written by Maryam Hamidi (Vigil) and Jingan Young (Red Eye). The Executive Producers are Gaynor Holmes for BBC Drama, Gavin Smith for BBC Scotland and Daniel Donnelly and Dave Evans for Balloon. Stephanie Fyfe is the Commissiong Executive for BBC. The Producer is Brian Kaczynski (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, Mayflies) and the Directors are Lynsey Miller (Surface, The Turkish Detective) and Siri Rødnes (Shetland, River City).

The series will be distributed by Balloon Entertainment’s international partner Banijay Rights and is a coproduction with ZDFneo. Katharina Kremling is the Commissioning Editor for ZDFneo. Counsels is supported by Screen Scotland.

Counsels is part of a growing list of BBC dramas from Scotland, including Vigil, The Young Team, Sutherland, Shetland and Rebus.

JM2

Follow for more