The first series premiered on 22 August 2019. Starting with the third series, following the shutdown of Sky One, the show was moved to Sky Max. The sixth series premiered on 26 September 2024. In June 2024, the show was renewed for a seventh and final series, making it the joint longest-running scripted series on Sky alongside Trollied.
The title Brassic is the colloquial pronunciation of "boracic" as in boracic lint, a medical dressing, the name of which is Cockney rhyming slang for "skint" (i.e. having no money).
Premise
Brassic follows the lives of Vinnie O'Neill and his friends as they live their lives in the fictional northern English town of Hawley. The group commits various petty crimes to keep money in their pockets, but as they get older some of them start to wonder if there's more to life away from the town.[1]
Cast and characters
Main
Joe Gilgun as Vincent "Vinnie" O'Neill: A disturbed man, Vinnie struggles with bipolar disorder and is plagued by his miserable childhood. The combination of rural solitude and his firm friendship with Dylan and Erin, helps Vinnie cope with life. He is quick-witted, confident with an eccentric intensity, and has a great depth of compassion towards others. He forms a criminal gang with his friends and regularly visits his general practitioner, Dr. Chris Coxley, who doesn't exactly provide him with the help he is looking for. A young Vinnie is portrayed by Zack Pierce (guest series 1–4), Ben Hackett (guest series 2), and Reuven Walker (guest series 6) during flashbacks.
Michelle Keegan as Erin Croft: Open-minded, fiery, and attractive, her unhappy childhood led to a wild child phase in her teenage years that left her alone and pregnant at a young age. Whilst she has a soft spot for Vinnie and the gang, she is aware that their presence is holding her back from her long-term plans. A young Erin is portrayed by Chloe Anais Hunt during flashbacks (guest series 5).
Damien Molony as Dylan Golding (series 1–4; guest series 5): Vinnie's best friend and Erin's boyfriend who is knowledgeable and skillful at poker. Vinnie is like a brother to Dylan and the one person who truly understands him, often relying on Dylan to help the gang pull off jobs. A young Dylan is portrayed by Joseph Riley (guest series 2) and George Kent (guest series 6) during flashbacks.
Tom Hanson as Leslie "Cardi" Titt: The "nice guy", who the gang affectionately calls "Cardi" (short for cardiac arrest) due to his obesity and unhealthy diet. He is from a big estate family and when his parents kicked him out, he moved into a flat above a kebab shop. Cardi is insecure and body-conscious and has been bullied about his weight and stuttering but finds comfort in his pet pigeon, Nigel. His role in the gang is that of a runner: fetching gear, and dropping things off.
Aaron Heffernan as Ashley "Ash" Dennings: Having grown up on a traveller site on the outskirts of Hawley he comes from a proud fighting family and, raised by his strict mother, he can switch to extreme violence in seconds, which makes him handy to have around as the muscle in the gang. While Ash is openly gay to the group, he chooses to hide his true sexuality from his family. The boys know his struggles and Ash and Vinnie have boxed together for years. He finds solace in having mates who accept him completely and it is with the lads that he feels most comfortable.
Ryan Sampson as Thomas "Tommo" Schaffner: A loner but very content with his lifestyle, Tommo has no family and is happiest when he is taking part in various sexual activities. Turning his passion into a business, he makes money holding secret S&M nights for rich local businessmen, barristers, and brigadiers. Tommo is a free spirit: he does what he wants, when he wants, and is the wild card of the gang, making him unpredictable. A young Tommo is portrayed by Alfie Corbett during flashbacks (guest series 5).
Parth Thakerar as Jehan "JJ" Jovani: The owner of a motor workshop whose place in the gang is cemented as the fixer and technician of the group. From a small British Asian family, JJ's older brothers went into medicine and law but JJ takes after his father who is the black sheep of the family.
Steve Evets as Farmer Jim: A local farmer based near Hawley who allows Vinnie to grow his cannabis plants in an underground bunker at his farm and helps the gang with many of their escapades.
Ruth Sheen as Kath (series 1): The pub landlady of The Crows Nest that the gang frequents. She is very sociable, having known them all for years, and is aware of everyone's issues.
Anthony Welsh as Jake (series 1–2): A classmate of Erin's at college, he shows an interest in her, despite her ongoing relationship and son.
Dominic West as Dr. Christopher "Chris" Coxley: Vinnie's general practitioner who he ends up developing a close bond with. In reality, he does not offer Vinnie any constructive advice though the pair agree to help mentor each other, as Chris also reveals his obsession with other people's knees.
Ramon Tikaram as Terence McCann (series 2–3; recurring series 1, 6; guest series 5): A local career criminal and businessman who Vinnie steals from.
Bronagh Gallagher as Carol Dennings (series 2–present; guest series 1): Ash's older sister who shows an interest in Cardi after joining Vinnie's gang.
Tadhg Murphy as Gary Cullen (series 3–4; guest series 1–2, 5): The local Hawley undertaker who has an artificial eye and collects unique body parts from corpses.
India Mullen as Samantha "Sam" (series 3): A barmaid who becomes close with Vinnie.
Joanna Higson as Mary "Sugar" Jones (series 4–present; recurring series 2–3; guest series 1): A former stripper and Erin's best friend, who initially manages a strip club with her, The Rat & Cutter, before joining Vinnie's gang.
Neil Ashton as David "Davey" MacDonagh (series 5–present; recurring series 4; guest series 3): A career criminal who forms a rivalry with Vinnie, hoping to take over his cannabis business.
Rachid Sabitri as Mustaffa "Manolito" Calvo (series 5–6; guest series 4): A drug lord with an online cannabis distribution network and a collector of exotic animals who forms a partnership with the MacDonaghs.
Bhavna Limbachia as Meena (series 5–present; guest series 4): JJ's cousin who initially hires him to steal flowers for her wedding and later takes over as the undertaker and joins Vinnie's gang.
Muzz Khan as Adyan Khan (series 5): A petty criminal who seeks out Vinnie's gang with a job proposition, and later joins them.
Camille Cottin as Fiona Frank (series 5): A psychotherapist who Vinnie is referred to by Dr. Coxley to help with his declining mental health.
Dean Lennox Kelly as Curtis Plum (series 6; guest series 5): An eccentric ratcatcher with a severe hoarding disorder hired by Vinnie's gang.
Supporting
Jude Riordan as Tyler Croft: Erin and Vinnie's young son, who was conceived after a drunken one-night stand.
Archie Kelly as Shirley "Goldilocks" Paslowski: A Polish farmer and Jim's neighbour who is commonly referred to as "Goldilocks" for his long blonde hair.
John Weaver as Carl Slater (series 1–3, 5–present): A police officer, later Detective Inspector, and Vinnie's arch-enemy since their childhood who is obsessed with exposing his criminal activities. Oliver Akers portrays a young Carl during flashbacks (series 2).
Tim Dantay as Vinnie's Dad (series 1–2, 4): Vinnie's unnamed alcoholic drifter father.
Neil Fitzmaurice as Mr. Bishop (series 1–4): One of Tommo's clients who often clashes with his ex-wife Daffne, who both hire Vinnie's gang to sabotage each other.
Debbie Rush as Daffne Bishop (series 1, 3, 5): Mr. Bishop's ex-wife who hires Vinnie's gang to get revenge against her ex-husband.
Darren Cahill as Mick Dennings (series 1–3, 6): One of Ash and Carol's brothers.
Gerard Jordan as Niall Dennings (series 1–3, 6): Another of Ash and Carol's brothers.
Steven Hartley as Russell Hardwick (series 1, 3, 5): The rich owner of a golf course in Hawley.
Carl Rice as Ronnie Croft (series 1–3, 5): Erin's estranged criminal brother who escapes from prison. Despite promising to reform, he lies compulsively and constantly gets into trouble. A young Ronnie is portrayed by Billy Winter during flashbacks (series 5).
Nikhil Parmar as Steven McCann (series 1, 3, 6): Terance's son, who tries to distance himself from his criminal father.
Steve Garti as "Chinese" Dan (series 2–5): A fence who buys or sells stolen goods to criminals in Hawley.
Amit Dhut as Calvin (series 2–5): Dan's enforcer who helps him buy and sell stolen goods.
Claude Scott-Mitchell as Sara (series 2): Dylan's girlfriend after he ends his relationship with Erin.
Oliver Wellington as Aaron (series 2): Jake's brother who takes an unhealthy interest in Erin.
Jeff Rawle as Mr. Bates (series 2): Vinnie, Dylan, and Carl's former history teacher turned thief.
Ed Gaughan as Gideon (series 2–3, 6): A kind-hearted middle-aged friend of Vinnie's.
Hannan Ahmed as Sarim (series 2, 5–6): JJ's criminal cousin who is part of a cocaine smuggling operation.
Chris Lew Kum Hoi as Hoskins (series 3): A detective who works with Carl during his investigation of Vinnie's gang.
Greg Wood as Barry MacDonagh (series 3–5): Davey's silent but intimidating brother who works with him against Vinnie's gang.
Niamh Cusack as Clodagh Dennings (series 3): Ash and Carol's aunt.
Mark O'Halloran as Francis Dennings (series 3–5): Ash and Carol's uncle.
Juliet Cowan as Elizabeth "Liz" Jones (series 3, 5–present): Sugar's alcoholic mother who tries to reconnect with her daughter and becomes a bartender at The Crows Nest.
Tom Bennett as Ringo (series 4, 6): Babs' husband, an old friend of Vinnie's, and the guitarist in an amateur rock band.
Mali Harries as Barbara "Babs" (series 4, 6): Ringo's temperamental and sex-crazed wife.
Ruth Madeley as Ciara Marie (series 4–5): A self-proclaimed psychic who runs a shop in Hawley.
Darci Shaw as Amy (series 4): A young woman who seeks out Erin claiming to be her half-sister.
Lee Mack as Eddie Braithwaite (series 5): The driver of a car carrier trailer who is kidnapped by Vinnie's gang.
Samantha Power as Donna MacDonagh (series 5–present): Davey and Barry's sister who rejoins their criminal operation after she's released from prison.
Dan Skinner as Phillip "Phil" Brilliance (series 5): A crazed ventriloquist who speaks through his puppet.
Johann Heske as Hans Fischer (series 5–present): A German teenager who travels to England to meet Tommo, his biological father, and connect with him.
Annette Badland as Rhoda Dennings (series 5): Ash and Carol's great-grandmother.
Greg Davies as Richard "Dick" Dolphin (A Very Brassic Christmas): The owner of a Winter Wonderland tourist attraction and one of Edie's former theatre students.
Imelda Staunton as Edie Barnes (A Very Brassic Christmas): Dr. Coxley's elderly aunt whom Vinnie is charged with caring for over Christmas.
Liza Tarbuck as Beatrice Ebden (series 6): Jim's ex-girlfriend, who he remained infatuated with despite their many years apart.
Elizabeth Berrington as Paloma (series 6): Cardi's estranged mother, who returns to Hawley after having disappeared for most of his life.
Joseph Gilgun and Danny Brocklehurst devised a new comedy television series for Sky One, entitled Brassic, in which Gilgun would portray the lead role whereas Brocklehurst would write the episodes' stories and scripts.[2] It began broadcasting in the United Kingdom on 22 August 2019, with the first series consisting of six episodes, broadcast on a weekly basis.[1] Prior to the first episode being aired, the programme was automatically recommissioned for a second series, with producers optimistic that it would be critically reviewed in a positive manner.[3] They were correct, with many critics praising the series for its comedic and dramatic tone; the first series ended its run on 19 September.[4]
On 24 April 2020, Sky released the second series' trailer, confirming that it would begin broadcasting on 7 May that year.[5] It was confirmed that it would also broadcast six episodes with all of them becoming available to be streamed through NOW TV from its premiere date, though would officially be broadcast on a weekly basis through Sky.[6] Prior to series 2 commencing its broadcast, Sky recommissioned the series for an expanded third series, consisting of eight episodes; a projected release date was not disclosed.[7]
Casting
After Gilgun was announced as the series lead, Michelle Keegan, Damien Molony, Tom Hanson, Aaron Heffernan, Ryan Sampson and Parth Thakerar joined the cast in fellow main character roles.[8] The characters include Vincent "Vinnie" O'Neill (Gilgun), Erin Croft (Keegan), Dylan (Molony), "Cardi" (Hanson), Ash (Heffernan), Tommo (Sampson) and JJ (Thakerar), while Dominic West and Bronagh Gallagher also portrayed assisting roles throughout the series, starring as Doctor Chris Cox and Carol, respectively.[9][10][11]
For series 2, Claude Scott-Mitchell joined the cast in the role of Sara, a new romance for Molony's character. All series 1 cast members reprised their roles, with John Thomson and Bill Paterson also joining the cast as newcomers. West also reprised his role, now portraying a more regular character.
Filming
The programme's setting is based on Joe Gilgun's hometown of Chorley.
The programme is set in the fictional town of Hawley, which is inspired by Gilgun's experience of growing up in Chorley.[12] Regarding the setting, location manager Jonathan Davies stated, "We were given the scripts and a few of us had a meeting with Joe [Gilgun] to talk through the feel and look of the show and to talk about which direction to go in. It's a very collaborative process to build a world that fits with the story and script. People want to feel like they're being transported into that real world of Brassic."[12]
The first two series of Brassic were filmed in the Lancashire town of Bacup.[12] Filming of the first series began in September 2018, with a fan tweeting, "As if Michelle Keegan is filming in Bacup, love her".[12] The filming location surprised locals, as not many were informed about the programme filming there and who the cast members were, with one local stating, "There were quite a few people including myself watching and it was causing a few traffic problems as people kept stopping. Michelle Keegan was there surrounded by security guards and there was a Mercedes van ready to take her away when she was done".[12] Further filming locations included some scenes being filmed in Bolton, the Crows Nest pub scenes are filmed in The Star and Garterpublic house near Manchester Piccadilly station whereas the inaugural episode's notable car-chase opening scene was shot in West Yorkshire.[12] Yacht journey was filmed at the sea near Llandudno.[13]
On the day of the programme's premiere, Gilgun revealed that filming for the second series had already begun prior to the first series airing, with them supposedly having a previously confidential agreement with Sky weeks before. Filming continued through the entire autumn of 2019, with all previous filming locations from series 1 continuing, and locations also expanding across the North West of England.
Gilgun revealed in an interview that the cast and crew had caused controversy during filming, when they were "kicked out" of a circus after a single day of filming, which resulted in the crew having to film the remaining scenes in a car park; Gilgun later stated that the circus were unaware of the number of cast and crew that the production team were going to bring.[14]
Marketing
The first series' trailer was released by Sky One on 13 August 2019, which included minor clips containing comedic scenes from a variety of episodes and confirmed its release date of 22 August; this trailer was continuously shown on all Sky platforms in the days prior to its premiere.[15]
On 24 April 2020, Sky began to screen the second series' trailer, once again briefly showing clips for the new series and confirming its premiere date of 7 May.[5]
Release
The first series consists of six episodes and premiered on 22 August 2019.
Before the first series had aired, it was announced that the show had been renewed for a second series, which premiered on 7 May 2020.[3]
In February 2020, the show was renewed for an expanded third series consisting of eight episodes;[7] which premiered on 6 October 2021 having moved to Sky Max following the shutdown of Sky One.[16]
In August 2021, the show was renewed for a fourth series which premiered on 7 September 2022.[17]
In August 2022, the show was renewed for a fifth series[18] which premiered on 28 September 2023,[19] and was followed by a Christmas special titled A Very Brassic Christmas on 21 December 2023.[20]
In April 2023, the show was renewed for a sixth series,[21] which premiered on 26 September 2024.[22]
In June 2024, the show was renewed for a seventh series, making it the joint longest-running scripted series on Sky alongside Trollied.[23] In January 2025, the show was confirmed to end with the seven series.[24]
International broadcast
Internationally, the show has been aired in France, from 16 September 2019; Spain, from 24 September 2019 through streaming; Germany, from 1 January 2020 through streaming; Australia from 25 February 2020, Canada, Russia and the United States.[25] In Russia, the show is titled as Голяк.[25]
In August 2024, the first four series were released on Netflix.[26]
Home media
All episodes are available to be viewed through the Sky Go and Amazon Video apps.[27] The entire boxset is also available on NOW TV and Virgin Media in the United Kingdom.[28] On 31 July 2020 all episodes became available in the U.S. via Hulu.[29]
On 27 August 2019, it was announced that the complete first series would release to DVD on 30 September.[28]
Reception
Critical response
Lucy Mangan of The Guardian, reviewing the series, gave it four out of five stars, saying: "It is a hilarious, warm, brutal melange that works because it has heart without sentimentality and authenticity without strain."[4]
Creator and lead actor Joseph Gilgun has been praised for his performance as Vinnie O'Neill, with review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes commenting, "Joseph Gilgun is wonderfully expressive as Vinnie, his volatile features continually scrunching together and apart like the top of a drawstring bag."[30]
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