Shane Meadows Returns To Channel 4 With First Project Since 'This Is England'

Shane Meadows will return to Channel 4 to direct a brand new four-part drama titled The Virtue, written alongside BAFTA-winner Jack Thorne.

Stephen Graham, who previously worked with Meadows on This is England, will star as Joseph, a troubled character who finds himself compelled to travel to Ireland to confront his demons, after a childhood spent in the care system.

Helen Behan (who played Helen, the Irish nurse who helped Lol through her depression in This Is England '90) joins the cast as Anna, the sister Joseph hasn't seen since they were separated as children, with Frank Laverty (Michael Collins, Angela's Ashes) playing Michael, Anna's husband.

Credit: Channel 4

The Warp Films production will shoot on primarily on location in Sheffield.

Shane Meadows says: "The Virtues reunites me with the peerless Stephen Graham, whilst also allowing me the chance to work with a host of supremely gifted actors and some incredible new talent.

"It takes the biblical, almost apocalyptic levels of revenge witnessed in Dead Man's Shoes, along with the bittersweet humour from This is England and creates a landscape like nothing else I've ever worked on."

Beth Willis, Head of Drama at Channel 4, says: "We are so thrilled that the giant of a genius that is Shane Meadows has, with Mark Herbert, chosen Channel 4 to be the home of his next extraordinary story, world and unforgettable characters. This tender love story is complex and at times dark - but always shot through with heart and a large dose of humour."

The show will air in 2019 and no doubt it will be sick.

And don't worry, This is England fans - there's still a chance they'll be another installment in the series.

Credit: Film4

Last year, he spoke to The Sun, telling them: "There is one This Is England left. I've got one last idea for This Is England but as a film that can be split as a hybrid - because it started in cinemas and ended up on TV, I would love to finish off with one feature-length episode people can watch in the cinema or on TV the same night.

"I know the desire is there from me and I'm pretty sure the cast, all of us, don't see this as a job, we see this as a summer holiday. It's tricky getting everyone together but I'm sure we can."

So i guess all we can do is wait.

Featured Image Credit: Channel 4

Topics: Channel 4

James Dawson

James Dawson is a Journalist at LADbible. He has contributed articles to LADbible’s ‘Knowing Me, Knowing EU’ series on the EU referendum, the 'Electoral Dysfunction' series on the 2017 general election, the ‘U OK M8?’ series tackling mental health amongst young men, and for its ‘Climate Change’ initiative in partnership with National Geographic.

@thejaytoday