The trailer and first look images of a new TV drama series filmed in parts of Manchester have been released.
The Stolen Girl tells the story of mother-of-two Elisa Blix, played by Denise Gough, who allows her nine-year-old daughter Lucia to stay over at her new best friend Josie’s house… but the next day, when she goes to collect her, everyone has gone, and Elisa and her husband Fred’s, played by Jim Sturgess, world is turned upside down.
The five-part psychological drama, which also stars Manchester-born actress Holliday Grainger as Josie’s mum Rebecca Walsh, and One Day‘s Ambika Mod, who plays chaotically persistent journalist Selma Desai, will be available to stream next week on Disney+.
The first full length trailer, and a series of images showing the cast at work, have been released before the show hits our screens from next Wednesday (16 April).
First look images of the new Disney+ series The Stolen Girl / Credit: Disney+ UK
The gripping trailer takes us to the heart of suburbia, where life is not quite as tranquil as it first seems, as when Elisa and Fred’s daughter, Lucia, goes missing after what appears to be a normal sleepover with a school friend, the couple’s mundane existence spirals into chaos.
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Elisa is forced to embark on a high-stakes chase across Europe to discover the shocking truth about her daughter’s disappearance.
Exactly why did Rebecca Walsh take her daughter? Was Lucia a random target? What personal price will she have to pay to get her back? These are the questions Elisa grapples with as the series progresses, as the slowly unsettling truth emerges.
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Eventually, audiences see that what started as a textbook abduction, quickly evolves into something much darker.
Bronagh Waugh, Layo-Christina Akinlude, and Michael Workéyè also form part of the supporting cast.
Waugh stars as DI Shona Sinclair, and Akinlude takes on the role of DS Lizzie Walker, who are both the lead investigators looking into Lucia’s disappearance, while Workéyè plays Kaleb Negasi, who is Selma’s exasperated editor that wishes she would focus on anything other than this case.
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According to producers, much of The Stolen Girl has been filmed in and around Manchester, with additional scenes being filmed over in France.
The Stolen Girl is airing on Disney+ from next Wednesday 16 April.
Featured Image – Disney+ UK
TV & Showbiz
New Amazon Prime Video docuseries to show Pep Guardiola’s final seasons at Manchester City
Emily Sergeant
A new all-access docuseries featuring Pep Guardiola’s final few seasons at Manchester City is set to air this summer.
Coming exclusively to Prime Video in the UK and Ireland, the four-part documentary is set to take Manchester City fans and neutral viewers alike inside the club as the players and manager – who delivered an era of dominance -make way for a new generation.
Filmed over the past two seasons, this is the ultimate account of an emotional farewell that marks the end of an era in English football, and will offer unfiltered access to Guardiola, his squad, and the City boardroom.
After 10 trophy-filled years – which included six Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, three FA Cups, and five EFL Cups – Pep Guardiola called time on his tenure in Manchester last month, alongside fan favourite players Bernardo Silva and John Stones, as well as Kevin De Bruyne the season prior.
This new docuseries was there to follow them every step of the process.
Fans can follow City from a disappointing 2024/25 campaign right through to a domestic double the following season, charting the raw emotion of a squad in transition.
The series is directed by Academy and BAFTA award-winning filmmaker, Kevin Macdonald, alongside City Studios’ John De Caux, and is produced by Kevin Macdonald for Plan B/KM Films and Gavin Johnson and Ged Doherty for City Studios.
“This is the ultimate account of an emotional farewell that marks the end of an era in English football,” Amazon Prime Video said in a statement.
Joining Prime Video’s wide selection of sports programming, the series will be available to watch at no additional cost to Prime members this summer.
It’ll be ready to stream on 19 August.
Featured Image – Prime Video
TV & Showbiz
Trailer released of new BBC legal drama The Split Up set and filmed in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The first trailer for a new BBC legal drama called The Split Up that was filmed in Manchester have now been released.
The Split Up is new six-part legal drama, with a story and characters created by Ursula Rani Sarma, based on the already-existing popular BBC drama The Split, created by multiple award-winning Abi Morgan, which focuses on the personal and professional lives of the Defoes – a family of female divorce lawyers in London.
This new series, however, is set in and filmed right here in Manchester.
Set within the charged world of Manchester’s high-net-worth divorce circuit, the new pictures reveal the first glimpse of the Kishan Law family – a powerhouse British-South Asian family firm, and the go-to for the city’s elite.
The trailer for new BBC legal drama The Split Up that is set and filmed in Manchester has been released / Credit: BBC
At its centre is Aria Kishan (played by Ritu Arya) as a fast-rising star of Kishan Law, poised to step up and take the mantle from her father Dhruv, played by Sanjeev Bhaskar, and Aria’s siblings Maya (Aysha Kala), Kav (Arian Nik), and partner Neal (Danny Ashok).
So, what is The Split Up about then? A description of the upcoming series on the BBC website reads: “The death of Aria’s mother has cast a new light over succession plans for Dhruv, who has begun to wonder if his daughter can, or should, take on this responsibility single-handedly.
“Aria’s relationship is placed under scrutiny too with the wedding to long-term partner Neal on the horizon, but with their personal and professional lives so entwined it’s unclear if their relationship can withstand any more pressure – a problem further compounded when a former secret flame (Dimitri Leonidas) arrives in Manchester unexpectedly.
“Alongside her siblings Maya and Kav, whose own relationships and loyalties are far from straightforward, Aria must navigate the splits that divide family and those we love – and ask herself, who should you live your life for?”
As well as the talented ensemble cast of actors already mentioned, viewers can also expect to see a handful of standout guest stars throughout the series too – including famous faces like Lenny Henry, Jane Horrocks, and Jameela Jamil.
Filming for The Split Up wrapped in Manchester earlier this year, but as of yet, there is still no word of when the show is set to air, so keep your eyes peeled.
Further announcements about the series are expected in due course.
Emily Sergeant -
8th April 2025 
