A supply teacher who has worked in some of the ‘most difficult schools’ in Greater Manchester has exposed the prevalence of county lines gangs in a six-part gritty drama on Amazon Prime. James Twyman, director and producer of Ringside, set in Wythenshawe, has witnessed knife crime from a young age and has had to confiscate homemade blades, disguised as drywipe pens, from pupils in his class.
When he clocks off from his day job and during the school holidays, the 36-year-old works on film projects - a passion that he says saved his life as a teenager when he was bullied for the colour of his skin. James wanted to portray the difficulties faced by today’s young people - and show how positive forces in the community can help pave a way out.
In the case of Ringside - which follows 15-year-old Chad, who is neglected by his mother and has been kicked out of school - it was with boxing. Scenes were filmed at Jimmy Egan's boxing gym, in Benchill, where champion Tyson Fury first trained.
