The BBC has released the first trailer for its Manchester legal drama The Split Up and confirmed that the entire series will arrive on iPlayer this month.
The six-part drama, from the makers of The Split, stars Ritu Arya and Sanjeev Bhaskar at the head of a British South Asian family running one of Manchester’s leading divorce law firms.
All six episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer from Sunday, September 20. The series will also air on BBC One at 9pm on Sundays and Mondays from the same date.
The newly released trailer introduces Arya as Aria Kishan, a rising star in the legal world who is preparing to take control of Kishan Law from her father Dhruv, played by Unforgotten star Bhaskar.
The family firm represents wealthy and high-profile clients across Manchester, with guest stars including Lenny Henry, Jane Horrocks and Jameela Jamil appearing during the series.
Aria is also preparing to marry her long-term partner Neal, played by Danny Ashok, but the boundaries between their personal and professional lives are becoming increasingly blurred.
Further complications arrive when her former secret flame Luke, played by Dimitri Leonidas, unexpectedly takes a job at Kishan Law.
At the same time, the family is grieving the recent death of Aria’s mother, prompting Dhruv to question whether his daughter can – or should – assume sole responsibility for the business.
Alongside her siblings Maya, played by Virdee star Aysha Kala, and Kav, played by Film Club’s Arian Nik, Aria must navigate conflicts involving family, ambition, loyalty and relationships.
The cast also includes Mawaan Rizwan, Sindhu Vee, Shalini Peiris and Tom Forbes.
The Split Up’s story and characters were created by Ursula Rani Sarma, based on The Split, the hit legal drama created by Abi Morgan.
Speaking when filming began in Manchester, Sarma said: “Having admired The Split and Abi Morgan for years, I was honoured to be asked to bring The Split Up to life. As a writer passionate about representation, it’s a dream come true to place a contemporary British South Asian family centre stage. Diversity deepens our understanding, enriches our stories, and reflects the true fabric of our society. It’s thrilling to watch our amazing cast led by Ritu and Sanjeev bring the Kishan family to life. I can’t wait for audiences to meet them and to witness the drama as it unfolds.”
BBC Drama director Lindsay Salt added: “We’re thrilled to announce this outstanding cast for The Split Up led by Ritu Arya and Sanjeev Bhaskar. Abi Morgan’s The Split is one of our most loved dramas and in The Split Up Ursula Rani Sarma has superbly created a new family of Manchester lawyers whose professional and personal lives will keep viewers hooked.”
The 6 x 60-minute series is produced by SISTER Pictures in association with Morgan’s Little Chick.
It is executive produced by Morgan, Jane Featherstone, Bryony Arnold and Sarma, alongside Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC, and co-executive produced by Shamim Sarif.
Additional episodes have been written by Sumerah Srivastav, Kaamil Shah and Sonali Bhattacharyya. Sarif and Khurrum M Sultan direct, with Natasha Romaniuk serving as producer and Kasheina Vencatasawmy as associate producer.
BBC Studios is handling global sales. All three series of The Split and its accompanying two-part special are currently available on BBC iPlayer.
