Garrow's Law

A Twenty Twenty / Shed Media Scotland production through BBC Scotland, the four-part factual drama is inspired by the life of pioneering barrister William Garrow (Buchan). RTS award-winning Garrow’s Law revisits the Old Bailey of Georgian London and is set against a backdrop of corruption and social injustice, based on real legal cases from the late-18th century.

In an age where the defence counsel acted in the minority of cases, the young William Garrow championed the underdog and pioneered the rigorous cross-examination of prosecution witnesses that paved the way for our modern legal system today.

Dominic Barlow, executive producer, Twenty Twenty / Shed Media Scotland, says: “We are delighted to be bringing Garrow’s Law back to BBC One. This series will not only see Garrow fighting legal and political injustice in the Old Bailey but also injustice in his personal life that could end his career at the Bar.”

Mark Bell, Commissioning Editor, Arts, adds: “Tony Marchant and the team at Twenty Twenty did a great job in bringing William Garrow from the shadows of British legal history to a broad audience on BBC One. Round Two of his trials and tribulations will see him continue to fight for love and justice through more shocking and amazing cases of the time.”

Co-created by Tony Marchant (The Knight’s Tale, Mark Of Cain, Crime & Punishment), Garrow’s Law, series two is produced by Nick Pitt(Robin Hood, Silent Witness) and directed by Ashley Pearce (Poirot, The Commander). Executive producers are Dominic Barlow and Tim Carter for Twenty Twenty / Shed, Gaynor Holmes for BBC Scotland Drama and Mark Bell, Commissioning Editor, BBC Arts & Knowledge.

Garrow’s Law series two was commissioned Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One, and Mark Bell, Commissioning Editor, Arts.

The second series starts shooting at the end of June until mid-August at BBC Scotland‘s Dumbarton studios. It will broadcast later in 2010.

Garrow’s Law continues in the footsteps of distinctive programming made recently through BBC Scotland including Single Father (BBC One), The Deep (BBC One), Lip Service (BBC Three), One Night In Emergency (BBC One Scotland), River City (BBC One Scotland), Waterloo Road (BBC One) and Wallander (BBC One).

Set in the Old Bailey of Georgian London against a backdrop of corruption and social injustice, Garrow’s Law is a new four-part legal drama inspired by the life of pioneering barrister William Garrow.

The series, co-created by Tony Marchant, is based on real legal cases from the late 18th century. Andrew Buchan (Cranford, Party Animals) as Garrow leads a cast including Alun Armstrong (New Tricks) and Lyndsey Marshal (Rome).

From rape and murder to high treason and corruption, each episode begins with the investigation of a real crime sourced from the Old Bailey archives of the day. In an age where defence counsel was for the minority, the youthful Garrow and his associate Southouse (Armstrong) work to uncover the truth or fight for justice, championing the underdog and pioneering the rigorous cross-examination of prosecution witnesses that paved the way for the modern legal system.

A gifted maverick, at times arrogant and with a burning sense of destiny, Garrow’s drive to change the nature of the trial creates powerful enemies both in the corrupt underworld and among the political elite.

Andrew Buchan (Cranford, Party Animals), Alun Armstrong (New Tricks, Little Dorrit) and Lyndsey Marshall (Rome) star in a new four-part legal drama inspired by the life of pioneering barrister William Garrow on BBC One.

Garrow’s Law is set in the Old Bailey of Georgian London against a backdrop of corruption and social injustice and is based on real legal cases from the late 18th century.

Each one-hour episode begins with the investigation of a case sourced from the Old Bailey archives from the day, from rape and murder to high treason and corruption, and follows Garrow (Buchan) and his associate Southouse (Armstrong) working to uncover the truth or fight for justice.

In an age where the defence counsel acted in the minority of cases, the young Garrow championed the underdog and pioneered the rigorous cross-examination of prosecution witnesses that paved the way for our modern legal system of today.

“A gifted maverick, at times arrogant and with a burning sense of destiny, Garrow is driven to change the nature of the trial against a backdrop of social and political upheaval,” says Jamie Isaacs, Executive Producer, Twenty Twenty Television.

Co-created by Tony Marchant (The Knight’s Tale, Holding On, Crime And Punishment), Garrow’s Law is a Twenty Twenty/Shed Media Scotland production for BBC One.

The series was commissioned by Mark Bell, the BBC’s Commissioning Editor for Arts, for BBC Knowledge.

Mark Bell says: “It is a great privilege to be bringing history to life for BBC One in this way. Garrow made the law as we know it.

“His is a thrilling and dramatic story, brilliantly re-imagined in this script.”

Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One, says: “It’s a fantastic collaboration between factual and drama to create an immersive history piece which should also feel like a period drama.”

Filming begins this summer in Scotland and Garrow’s Law will be broadcast on BBC One later this year.

BBC Knowledge has a long tradition of making well-received factual-based dramas such as the recent Best: His Mother’s Son, Casualty 1907 and Maxwell.