Filming has started on the second series of Ladhood, written by and featuring Liam Williams.
Made by BBC Studios Comedy Productions, Ladhood straddles two timelines as Liam explores the roots of modern-day masculinity, by delving into the memories of his own misspent adolescence.
Picking up where the first series left off, the new series follows young Liam (Oscar Kennedy) and his best mates Ralph (Samuel Bottomley), Addy (Aqib Khan) and Craggy (Shaun Thomas) as they experience GCSE results, driving tests, break ups and their first big night out in town, making their way through all the highs and lows of teenage life in the Leeds suburb of Garforth in the early noughties.
As in series one, the lads’ adventures run parallel to scenes from the life of present-day Liam (played by Liam Williams) as he reflects on his teenage years and tries hard not to make the same mistakes again.
Ladhood launched in December 2019 on BBC Three to audience and critical acclaim, with VICE stating series one was ‘rare in its wit, poignancy and incision’ and The Guardian stating Ladhood ‘is full of so many lovely literary flushes you could call it Flealad.’
Liam Williams says: ‘The BBC have asked me to tell you how excited I am to be filming series 2 of Ladhood so it's lucky that I am, in fact, very excited. They've also asked me to say a bit about what we can expect from series 2, to which I'd say it'll be like series 1 but all the characters are a bit older’
Gregor Sharp, Commissioning Editor for the BBC says: ‘Liam is an exceptional talent and in Ladhood he’s crafted a series that’s an ingenious combination of both personal reflection on his own Yorkshire youth and an exploration of those universal rites of passage that everyone has to navigate. With the brilliant cast from the first series returning we can’t wait to see how the next chapter of the story unfolds.’
Fiona Campbell, Controller BBC Three says: ‘I am so excited to see Ladhood back on our screens. Liam executes the trials and tribulations that come with adolescence brilliantly, which is something the BBC Three audience resonates with so well. It’s a perfect fit, and we can’t wait for more.’
Josh Cole, Head of Comedy at BBC Studios and Executive Producer, says: ‘We’re so proud of this show and delighted to be making more. Liam’s cracking writing combined with a dream cast and an early noughties soundtrack really is as good as it gets.’
Production will be following strict COVID-19 protocols, including keeping the cast in a cohort and by completing regular testing and following social distancing whenever possible.
Ladhood is a BBC Studios production, produced by Joe Nunnery, directed by Jonathan Schey and executive produced by Gareth Edwards and Josh Cole. Liam Williams wrote, starred and was an executive producer on the series.
The series is commissioned by Shane Allen, Controller of Comedy Commissioning and Fiona Campbell, Controller of BBC Three. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.
The first series of Ladhood is available on iPlayer here
