Five women come together in Hebden Bridge to create a makeshift punk-rock band to enter a local talent contest but, in writing their first song, soon discover that they are all very angry about the way society treats women and that they have a lot to say. As they juggle demanding jobs, menopause, grown-up children, aging parents, absent husbands, and disastrous dates and relationships, the band becomes a catalyst for change in their lives. The themes of the series include the power of friendship, music, and the resilience of women who refuse to be silenced by age or expectation. As the story progresses, it is more than music that binds them; a deeply potent, long-buried secret begins to surface–one that unexpectedly entangles Kitty and Beth, the two unlikely creative masterminds behind the band, in a complex triangle and threatens to tear everything apart.[1] Nisha, one of the band's backing singers, experiences brutal misogynistic violence in the police force. Supporting each other, the band manages to continue playing, transforming their experiences into new songs.
Background
The programme's name is a play on the riot grrrl movement.[2]
Sally Wainwright is writer and executive producer on the series which was announced in August 2023 under the title Hot Flush.[4] In April 2024, Wainwright revealed the title had been changed to Riot Women and the project had a song about HRT called "Seeing Red".[5] This and other original songs were created for the series by Hanni Pidduck and Clara Townsend of the Brighton duo ARXX.[6] The actors learned to play the instruments they play on screen.[7]
Riot Women creator, writer, director and executive producer Sally Wainwright said: "I'm having a whole new buzz of excitement about the show as we bring it together in the edit, and I can't wait to share it with everyone!"[1]
Broadcast
The series began broadcasting on 12 October 2025 on BBC One with all episodes released on BBC iPlayer the same day.[11]BritBox will air the series in the US and Canada.
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