Flatshare, a new U.K. drama series starring Jessica Brown Findlay and Anthony Welsh in the lead roles, is headed to Paramount+. Production has already started in Bristol, U.K., and is expected to also involve filming locations in London and Brighton. The series will have six episodes total.
Flatshare is based on the bestselling 2019 novel by British author Beth O’ Leary. The story revolves around Tiffy (Findlay), broke and heartbroken, who needs a cheap flat fast. She agrees to share a one-bedroom apartment with Leon (Welsh), also broke, who also happens to be a complete stranger. Their work schedules hardly overlap — Tiffy works day shifts, and Leon works night shifts — and post-it notes are what makes their crazy plan possible. Of course, if things worked as planned, there wouldn’t be a story, so throw in some obsessed ex-boyfriends, wrongfully incarcerated brothers, and the ever-present modern-day struggle of work-life balance to the mix, and the hilarity of this U.K. comedy show series is bound to make for a fun time. The novel has a current rating of 4.1 stars on Goodreads.
Welsh made his film debut in the 2012 movie Red Tails, a film about the Tuskegee Airmen, an African American branch of World War II pilots. He also played the role of Jack in the hilarious Fleabag series. He also currently plays Darius in the Master of None series streaming on Netflix.
Findlay is best known for her role as Lady Sybil Crawley in the Downton Abbey series. She’s also portrayed a sex worker in a period drama called Harlots. Her most recent role has been in the American sci-fi drama Brave New World.
Alongside the main leads, other cast members announced are Bart Edwards as Tiffany’s ex-boyfriend; Shaq B. Grant as Richie; Shaniqua Okwok and Jonah Hauer-King as Tiffany’s two best friends.
The lead writer and executive producer of the series is Rose Lewenstein. Co-writers of the series include Sarah Simmonds, Ryan Calais Cameron, and Alex Straker. Oscar-nominated director Peter Cattaneo will serve as lead director and executive producer. The 42 production company is expected to produce the series with VIS, with Miriam Brent, Rory Aitken, and Eleanor Moran serving as executive producers for the company and Rhonda Smith as a producer.
Flatshare is part of Paramount‘s plans to create 50 international originals for their streaming platform in 2022. Other titles being added to their library include the Sexy Beast prequel, A Gentleman in Moscow, Germany’s Simon Beckett’s The Chemistry of Death, South Korea’s Yonder, renewed Mexican series Los Enviados and Cecilia.
Flatshare currently does not have a release date, but it will air exclusively on Paramount+.
via Collider