Stories include the unlikely decades-long friendship between Princess Margaret and Mick Jagger; the bizarre night out shared between Freddie Mercury and Princess Diana; the day a burglar stumbled upon Grace Jones and artist Jean-Paul Goude’s New York apartment; Madonna’s short but passionate and influential relationship with Jean Michel Basquiat; the infamous trial of Jackie Collins vs. Random House; how Paul McCartney was inspired to write Yesterday; how Andy Warhol came to judge a cheerleading competition for Donald Trump and the prolonged visit of Hans Christian Andersen to ‘friend’ Charles Dickens’ family home.
All episodes will be available on demand on Sky Arts and TV streaming service NOW TV from 10 April
Each of the eight episodes puts its own unique spin on extraordinary events, taken with more than a pinch of salt, and are performed by a selection of great actors, including Mat Baynton, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Hugh Dennis, Kelly MacDonald, Stephen Mangan, Jack McBrayer, Gloria Onitiri and David Walliams. Following the previous two series, new episodes of Urban Myths continue to wryly re-imagine how certain events unfolded, through the eyes of some of Britain’s most talented writers and directors.
Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, says: “You might regard our Urban Myths series as a bit of “Fake History” but as all history is totally made up anyway we should regard these eight perfectly formed comedies as films of historical record, sort of. This series is one of the jewels in the crown of Sky Arts and with totally true (ish) tales from everyone from McCartney and Madonna to Dickens and Trump - our loyal band of discerning viewers are in for a treat.”
URBAN MYTHS EPISODES
Urban Myths: Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everett
This story is an inspired, fictionalised account of an event that’s part of the folklore of the Vauxhall Tavern. It features a night that Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everett put a disguise on their good friend, Princess Diana, and took her out for a night on the town, ending up at a club which results in a fictionalised encounter with Gareth, a drag artist with a painful secret.
Starring Mathew Baynton (Kenny Everett), David Avery (Freddie Mercury), Richard Gadd (Gareth) andSophie Rundle (Princess Diana). Written by Pete Jackson and directed by Sean Foley. Produced by Zoe Rocha at The Fyzz Facility.
Urban Myths: Donald Trump and Andy Warhol
In 1984, property magnate and entrepreneur Donald Trump bought an American football team. In an attempt to stir up some publicity, he held cheerleader auditions in the basement of Trump Tower with a panel of celebrity judges, including Andy Warhol. Though initially reluctant to take part, Warhol had some unfinished business with the tycoon, who had previously commissioned some artwork which he never paid for. So Warhol decided to use the opportunity to confront the future US president about the debt.
Starring Jack McBrayer (Andy Warhol), Anthony Atamanuik (Donald Trump), Natasia Demetriou (Agnieszka), Rich Hall (Jimmy Gould), Pearl Mackie (Kay), Paul Putner (Howard) and Mike Wozniak(Leroy Nieman). Written by Ben Boyer. Produced by Charlie Laurie and directed by Molly Manners. Clelia Mountford and Sharon Horgan are the Executive Producers for Merman.
Urban Myths: Charles Dickens and Hans Christian Anderson
Bleak House Guest tells the story of when Danish author and Dickens superfan Hans Christian Andersen turned up unexpectedly on Charles and Catherine Dickens' doorstep, quickly proving himself to be the most impossible (and unshakeable) house-guest imaginable.
Starring Stephen Mangan as Charles Dickens, Ian Hart as Hans Christian Andersen and Monica Dolan as Charles Dickens’ long-suffering wife, Catherine. The episode is directed by Robert Delamere and is a collaboration between SLAM Films and the NFTS. Louise Delamere and Catherine Gosling Fuller are the Executive Producers. Bleak House Guest is written by NFTS Screenwriting MA alumna Jess Jackson and produced by Producing MA alumni Laura Jackson, Rob Darnell and James Jose Walker. The crew includes a substantial number of NFTS students and graduates in key creative roles including producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, designer, composer and sound designer.
Urban Myths: Joan Collins
This story revolves around the trial where Joan Collins went head-to-head with Random House in the mid-nineties. The author and actor was paid a large advance for her novel, which the publishers claimed was unpublishable, leading to one of the most extraordinary – and glamourous – trials of the decade.
Starring Victoria Hamilton (Joan Collins), David Walliams (Monty, Joan’s boyfriend at the time), Mark Heap (Ken Burrows), Haydn Gwynne (Joni Evans) and Leo Wringer (judge). Written by David Walliams & Dawson Bros. Produced by King Bert Productions
Urban Myths: Grace Jones
This is the story of a burglar who stumbled into Grace Jones and artist Jean-Paul Goude’s New York apartment, armed with a very small gun. When he inadvertently chose to break into Grace and Jean-Paul’s home (with a little interruption from Debbie Harry and Andy Warhol), he ended up with more than he bargained, having to deal with these two flamboyant, volatile lovers. Veering from desperate and dangerous to awe-struck and bemused, this was an afternoon which none of the three were expecting, least of all the burglar.
Starring Gloria Onitiri (Grace Jones), Joshua McGuire (Jean Paul Goude), David Ajala (The Burglar),Emily Atack (Debbie Harry) and David Mills (Andy Warhol). Written by Grace Ofori-Attah. Produced by Tom Thostrup and Michael Livingstone at 2LE Media.
Urban Myths: Madonna and Basquait
Before she was famous, Madonna had a short but passionate and influential relationship with Jean Michel Basquiat, a pioneer and darling of the 1980s New York art scene. Basquiat was riding high while Madonna was a coat check girl, but she already had the self-belief to know she had something special. This myth takes place across one night on the New York subway, just before she infamously door-stepped music producer Seymour Stein at his hospital bedside where he signed her on the spot. This is a poignant moment, before Basquiat’s untimely death and just before Madonna broke through to “take over the motherfucking world”.
Starring Sophie Kennedy Clark (Madonna), Calvin Demba (Basquiat), Paul Kaye (Tramp) and David Bamber (Drunk). Written by Sarah Solemani. Directed by Adam Wimpenny and Sarah Solemani. Produced by Adam Morane-Griffiths & Joe Hill at Wildcard Films.
Urban Myths: Paul McCartney
Telling the incredible tale of how Paul McCartney dreamt the melody of ‘Yesterday’. With a dollop of creative licence from writer Simon Nye, this is a heartfelt comedy drama showing how the greatest song of the twentieth century came to be.
A deeply affectionate look at one of the greatest musicians, and his partnership with John Lennon, examining the cracks that may have changed their musical partnership forever.
Starring Tom Connor (Paul McCartney), James Coward (John Lennon), Joran Scowen (Ringo Starr), Simon Goron (George Harrison), Rosie Day (Jane Asher) and Hugh Dennis (Richard Asher). Written by Simon Nye, produced by Spelthorne Community Television and directed by Simon Delaney.
Urban Myths: Mick Jagger and Princess Margaret
Examining the decades-long friendship between Mick Jagger and Princess Margaret, we find out that Tony Blair submitted Jagger’s name for the Queen’s Honours’ List annually, from 1997 to 2002. However, every year the Queen turned him down. This comic tale travels from London to the Caribbean and dives head-first into the worlds of rock and royalty to ponder exactly why that was.
Starring Jamie Campbell Bower (Mick Jagger), Kelly MacDonald (Princess Margaret). Written by Neil Forsyth. Directed by Ben Palmer. Produced by Jane Bell at Happy Tramp.
Urban Myths series 3 was commissioned by Philip Edgar Jones for Sky Arts and Morwenna Gordon, Tilusha Ghelani and Jon Mountague for Sky comedy. As with the previous series of Urban Myths, Sky Vision will be handling international distribution.
The full season will be released as a box set at 10pm on 10th April on Sky Arts and streaming service NOW TV. All eight episodes available on-demand on Sky.
Box Set release (10th April) and linear TX order:
- 10th April at 9pm - Urban Myths: Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everett
- 17th April at 9pm - Urban Myths: Donald Trump and Andy Warhol
- 24th April at 9pm - Urban Myths: Charles Dickens and Hans Christian Anderson
- 1st May at 9pm - Urban Myths: Joan Collins
- 8th May at 9pm - Urban Myths: Grace Jones
- 15th May at 9pm - Urban Myths: Madonna and Basquiat
- 22nd May at 9pm - Urban Myths: Paul McCartney
- 29th May at 9pm - Urban Myths: Mick Jagger and Princess Margaret
