Watch the first trailer for BBC’s ‘Riot Women’

The BBC has shared the first trailer for Riot Women, the new drama series from Happy Valley writer Sally Wainwright.

The show will air in October and stars the likes of Joanna Scanlan, Tamsin Greig and Rosalie Craig as a group of women who are bound together when they join forces to form a punk rock band to take part in a local talent contest.

“A teacher, a police officer, a pub landlady, a midwife, and a shoplifting freeloader: five menopausal women form a punk rock band to take part in a local talent contest, and suddenly find they have a lot more to shout about than they ever imagined,” an official synopsis states. “As they become closer, the teacher, Beth, and freeloader, Kitty, discover a surprising, heartbreaking connection.”

The first trailer offers a brief glimpse at the events that bring the women together, as well as a look at this unlikeliest of bands jamming in a rehearsal room.

As well as the aforementioned stars, other members of the Riot Women band include Lorraine Ashbourne (Sherwood, Alma’s Not Normal) as Jess, and Amelia Bullmore (The Buccaneers, Vienna Blood) as Yvonne, with Taj Atwal (Line of Duty), Chandeep Uppal (Holby City), and Macy Seelochan (Shadow and Bone) as Nisha, Kam and Miranda, the band’s riotous backing singers.

Other major stars in the show include Anne Reid (The Sixth Commandment), Sue Johnston (The Royle Family), Peter Davison (Doctor Who), Claire Skinner (Outnumbered), Angel Coulby (Merlin) and Jonny Green (White Lines).

Riot Women will also feature original songs from the Brighton band ARXX and will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK this October. BritBox will air the series in the US and Canada. Mediawan Rights will distribute the series internationally with the participation of Entourage Ventures.