Everything we know about Martin Compston's new…

Everything we know about Martin Compston's new Scottish drama Mayflies

Martin Compston is gearing up to star in new BBC drama Mayflies based on Andrew O'Hagan 's novel.

The series, following the Scottish author's book of the same name and won Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year 2021, has been described as an “intimate and devastating portrait of male friendship”. Since finishing the sixth season of Line of Duty, Greenock-born Martin has kept himself busy starring in ITV drama Our House, Amazon Prime's The Rig and an unfortunately short role in BBC drama Vigil.

In a statement to the BBC, O’Hagan said of the TV adaptation: “The story is a very personal one to me, and it’s amazing to see the characters come to life.”

The 37-year-old Scots actor is set to play Jimmy, one half of the pair at the heart of this drama alongside Tony Curran, who plays best friend Tully Dawson.

What is Mayflies about?

Set in a small Scottish town, Mayflies tells the story of Jimmy and Tully – two young men who form a friendship based on music, films, and, a rebel spirit.

Opening in the summer of 1986, the series follows the pair as they rush towards the “climax of their youth” – a music festival in Manchester. There, against the backdrop of the music they love, they make a vow: to go at life differently.

Thirty years later, however, things change. One day, the phone rings – and when Jimmy picks up, he learns that Tully has the worst kind of news, and a request “that will test their friendship, love, and loyalty to the limit”.

As the synopsis concludes: “Mayflies is a memorial to youth’s euphoria and to everyday tragedy. A tender goodbye to an old union, it discovers the joy and the costs of love.”

Who has been cast in Mayflies?

So far, we know that Martin Compston and Tony Curran are taking on the roles of Jimmy and Tully. It's also been announced that After Life star Ashley Jensen will also be involved in the show, in a currently undefined role.

Other casting for Mayflies is yet to be announced, so we'll update here when we hear. However, the casting for young James and Tully will be exciting news.

Where is Mayflies filmed?

Filming will take place in and around Glasgow and Ayrshire this autumn.

It's a Synchronicity Films production for the BBC in association with All3 Media International, with support from Screen Scotland. It will be produced by Brian Kaczynski, written by Andrea Gibb and directed by Peter Mackie Burns. Executive producers are Andrea Gibb, Claire Mundell for Synchronicity Films, Gavin Smith for BBC Scotland and Gaynor Holmes for BBC Drama.

When and where will Mayflies be released?

We don’t have any exact details about when Mayflies will be released, but we do know that filming will take place this autumn, so chances are it’ll air at some point next year.

When it does appear, it’ll air on BBC One, BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer.