An exciting new series debuting at this year’s London Film Festival is Grime Kids by BAFTA-nominated writer and British playwright Theresa Ikoko, based on DJ Target’s book, following a group of teenage boys trying to make a mark in the world through grime. As high school closes for the summer, with GCSEs done and dusted, a group of friends realise the impending end of their childhood years. Prepping for maturity, they aim to live their summer to the fullest having fun, while also securing their future in the music industry. This is the story of Dane, Bishop, Bayo, Junior and Kai. Fiona Campbell, Controller, BBC Three says: “It’s a great pleasure to announce the incredibly talented cast of Grime Kids - a fantastic new story rich with life, told through the eyes of teens in the best summer of their lives. I can’t wait for BBC Three viewers to get to know them.” Led by a cast of rising young talent, Grime Kids stars Shanu Hazzan (EastEnders, The Gentleman), Juwon Adedokun (We Love Moses, Damilola, Our Loved Boy), Gabriel Robinson (Casualty, Silent Witness), Tienne Simon (Silent Witness) and Yus Jamal Crookes making his debut TV appearance. Grime Kids is a brand new, fictional story created by Ikoko, inspired by DJ Target’s non-fiction book of the same name. Although fictional, it is inspired by DJ Target’s 2019 non-fiction book of the same name. Grime Kids follows a group of teenagers using music to share their voices, whilst navigating growing up in the 90s. It is a celebration of culture and community, and the ever-growing genre of grime.

First look images and casting announced for new BBC drama

BFI Flare Special Presentation: HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS (North Macedonia-Poland-Croatia-Serbia-Kosovo, dir.-scr. Goran Stolevski) Yus Jamal Crooks will be making his TV debut, alongside Shanu Hazzan (EastEnders), Juwon Adedokun (We Love Moses), Gabriel Robinson (Silent Witness), and Tienne Simon ( Silent Witness). Series creator Theresa Ikoko says: “The casting process was one of my favourite parts of making this show. The first time seeing all five leads together was such a magical moment; we knew instantly that we had something special with them.” Theresa Ikoko commented to the BBC: “The first time seeing all five leads together was such a magical moment; we knew instantly that we had something special with them.”Grime Kids is directed by Abdou Cisse and Ian Aryeh, and produced by Irma Inniss. Executive producers are Theresa Ikoko, DJ Target, Tom Leggett and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, and Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC. The series is distributed internationally by Fifth Season. As a not-for-profit media organisation using constructive journalism to strengthen communities, we have not put our digital content behind a paywall or subscription fee as we think the benefits of an independent, local publication should be available to everyone living in our area. Meet the stars of Grime Kids (please note this video has no commentary) The casting process was one of my favourite parts of making this show. The first time seeing all five leads together was such a magical moment; we knew instantly that we had something special with them. Tom Leggett, Executive Producer, Mammoth Screen says: “We are thrilled to be announcing to the world the amazing cast of Grime Kids, who have brought Theresa’s beautiful scripts to life”. School’s out. Dane, Junior, Bishop, and Bayo want to make the most of their summer. Dane’s old friend Kai has an idea about how. Armed with fake IDs and fake bravado, they sneak in to Knights of the Realm, the rave of the summer.

Grime Kids: BBC Three drama to explore emergence of grime

A new BBC Three drama will explore the emergence of grime music from subculture to international phenomenon. A group of kids in the 90s had a dream to make their voice heard – and this book documents their seminal impact on today’s pop culture. DJ Target’s Grime Kids sells itself as the definitive inside story of grime. While books like Wiley’s Eskiboy keep it from being the uncontested champ, it will surely be one of the go-to texts for years to come. Anyone with even a passing interest in grime music or East London spirit will be well served by Grime Kids.The festival will present a diverse programme of films, shorts, series and immersive works from 92 countries, featuring 79 languages playing across the 12 days of the festival. This includes 99 works made by female and non-binary filmmakers – 39% of the programme. The 67th BFI London Film Festival, which is scheduled to be presented over twelve days from 4 to 15 October 2023, has announced the full programme line-up. DJ Target added: “I’m beyond excited for this story to be brought to life on screen. It’s a real testament to how far UK music has come over the years, which is something that needs to be celebrated. Working with Theresa Ikoko and the mighty Mammoth Screen is a real honour, and I can’t wait for everybody to see this.” Finding the perfect people to portray that world was an incredible part of the process, says series writer and executive producer Theresa Ikoko: “The casting process was one of my favourite parts of making this show. The first time seeing all five leads together was such a magical moment; we knew instantly that we had something special with them.” The series is markedly different from the book and traces the lives of five fictional characters, growing up in the early 2000s, desperate to have their voices heard through music.

BFI London Film Festival 2023 announces full programme line-up

Those young people will be portrayed by up-and-coming stars: Shanu Hazzan (EastEnders, The Gentleman), Juwon Adedokun (We Love Moses, Damilola, Our Loved Boy), Gabriel Robinson (Casualty, Silent Witness), Tienne Simon (Silent Witness) and Yus Jamal Crookes, who’s making his debut TV appearance. Meet the characters Bishop, the quiet thinker, learns an important lesson in appreciating the relationships in his life over flashy things. Speaking about the setting of the series, creator Theresa Ikoko says "It’s a real privilege to showcase the communities of east London in my writing. I've had the pleasure of calling east London home for most of my life. I hope the love I have for this special part of the world shines through in this show." All the biggest names in grime feature in the book, Wiley, Tinchy Stryder, Skepta, and Risky Roadz among them, and plenty more besides. All were there and all mattered. There’s very little ego in Grime Kids. It delights in sharing a life-changing time and is grateful for the opportunity to do so. Grime Kids has finished filming and will be available on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer later this year.

Each individual has his own defining characteristic, a story to tell and a reason to look for something more than what life can provide. Set in the early 2000s, Grime Kids explores how the environment in which a person grows up affects their choices, actions and the kind of people they surround themselves with. It touches on the different approaches to parenting – from the overly strict to the neglectful to the ones incredibly dependent on their children – and how the absence of parental authority can urge young individuals to look for family elsewhere, whether it be through their friends or the idols they look up to. The writing highlights these different dynamics through toxic friendships, jealousy and familial rifts. At that time, in that place, it was something magical,” he says of east London in grime’s early years. Set in 2001 at the start of summer, Grime Kids follows the five friends Dane, Junior, Kai, Bishop and Bayo, known as the “Gladiator Crew”. The lads navigate first loves, disapproving parents and brushes with danger - each coming of age in their own way, while setting out to have their music played on the airways. Meet the cast of Grime Kids Junior, Dane’s best friend, is the ‘dad’ of the group. During the series, he learns to confront his grief over the death of his mum head on and put aside old resentments and see the best in people.