Amid all the timey-wimey noise, now former showrunner of Doctor Who, Russell T. Davies, returned to form across the pond with the release of his timely psychological thriller Tip Toe. The series made its debut on Channel 4 at the end of May, with viewers instantly stunned by a selection of fine performances and the powerfully pressing subject matter. The show launched to strong numbers for Channel 4, peaking at over 1 million viewers and taking top spot during its Sunday 9 PM slot.
Following Tip Toe‘s viral success in the UK, and just eight days after the finale aired and stunned audiences, it has now been confirmed that the series is making its way to America. STARZ has officially picked up the rights to Tip Toe, with the five-part series premiering exclusively on STARZ later this year. “It’s my great delight to return to STARZ after many years,” said creator Davies in a statement, adding, “Tip Toe’s launch in the U.K. has shown that audiences are hungry for strong, bold, opinionated material – and that’s a perfect fit for STARZ!” Alison Hoffman, President, STARZ Networks, commented, “Russell T. Davies has created a gripping and deeply affecting series that speaks directly to the cultural tensions and anxieties shaping modern life.”
The series stars five-time Emmy winner Alan Cumming and Sherwood‘s David Morrissey, and also features supporting roles from the likes of Pooky Quesnel (The A Word), Jackson Connor (Phoenix Rise), Joseph Evans (The Map That Leads To You), Elizabeth Berrington (Last Night In Soho), Iz Hesketh (Renegade Nell), and Shakeel Kimotho (La Cage Aux Folles). Tip Toe has been the subject of gushing reviews from British critics so far, with Radio Times calling it “an urgent state-of-the-nation drama” and The Times saying the show is “Russell T. Davies at his crusading, passionate best.” This is certainly high praise for the man behind the likes of Years and Years and It’s a Sin. A synopsis for Tip Toe reads:
“Leo (Cumming) and Clive (Morrissey) have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years. Leo runs Spit & Polish, a bar on Canal Street and Clive is an electrician with two teenage sons. But just as life should be settling down for both, the world around them is growing more tense. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalized and gradually the two neighbors become deadly enemies in a tense, thrilling drama that spotlights the prejudices that have started to creep back into our lives, in a story that speaks not just to the queer community, but to the world at large.”
Russell T. Davies Has Just Left ‘Doctor Who’
Tip Toe‘s move Stateside will hopefully help calm the chaos surrounding Davies at the moment, following the announcement that he and Bad Wolf have left Doctor Who. This news came following a turbulent time for the timey-wimey sci-fi favorite, after a partnership with Disney proved disastrous and Ncuti Gatwa left the show in controversial circumstances. “And so GOODBYE from me to Doctor Who but HELLO to a big new future for the show, as the BBC announces it’s putting the show out to tender. As a result, there won’t be a Christmas Special,” Davies said in a statement.
Tip Toe is coming to STARZ later this year. You can catch Davies‘ most recent Doctor Who seasons on Disney+.
via Collider