‘Man in an Orange Shirt’ pic: First look at Patrick Gale’s gay love story drama

Posted Filed under

The first promotional photo has been released for BBC One’s Man in an Orange Shirt.

Telling two love stories, set sixty years apart, the two-part mini-series from the makers of Grantchester and Humans is the first screen drama from best-selling British novelist Patrick Gale.

The tales are linked by family and by “a painting that holds a secret that echoes down the generations.”

Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave stars alongside Julian Morris (New Girl), James McArdle (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Joanna Vanderham (One of Us), Oliver Jackson Cohen (Mr Selfridge) and David Gyasi (Interstellar).

The cast also includes Laura Carmichael (Downton Abbey), Julian Sands (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Angel Coulby (Merlin), Charlie Wernham (Hollyoaks), Tommy Bastow (The Cut) and newcomer James Godden.

The official synopsis reads: “Two love stories, sixty years apart, chart the challenges and huge change to gay lives from the Second World War to the present.

“In 1944, British Army Captain Michael Berryman (Cohen) meets war artist Thomas March (McArdle) in Southern Italy while chaos reigns all around them. Despite having a young fiancé, Flora (Vanderham), waiting at home for him, straight-laced Michael finds himself falling for Thomas’ bohemian charms.

“In 2017, an ageing Flora (Redgrave) looks on as her grandson, Adam (Morris), tentatively forms a relationship with his client Steve (Gyasi) in a more accepting world. But while the external obstacles have fallen away, a minefield of internalised issues and dangerous temptations still line the road to happiness.”

Are you looking forward to Man in an Orange Shirt? Let us know below…