New Series ‘Video Nasty’ to Air on BBC This January
Date Posted: January 6, 2025
Set in 1985, when the home video revolution is in full analogue swing, VIDEO NASTY tells the story of three mostly-normal-but-kind-of-weird teenagers who go on an epic quest to complete a cult VHS collection, only to get mixed up in a murder investigation, becoming chief suspects and public enemies.
VIDEO NASTY is a Deadpan Pictures production in association with Boat Rocker with support from Northern Ireland Screen, Fı́s Ecireann/Screen Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán. Series Producer is Ailish McElmeel (“Northern Lights”, “Can’t Cope Won’t Cope”) and it is produced by Julie Baines (Something in the Water, Triangle).
VIDEO NASTY is a darkly comic drama with a strain of murder mystery. It explores family, identity and censorship, as well as moral panic, culture wars, intergenerational misunderstandings and learning to accept yourself.
Blending the nostalgia of “Stranger Things” with the dark, deadpan comedy and retro cinematic style of “The End of The F**cking World” (with the plot twists of “Yellowjackets”), this is a timeless series that speaks volumes about the hysterical, internet-soaked world we live in today. After all, nothing cancels a person quite like murder.
Shot entirely on location in counties Monaghan, Cavan and Tyrone, VIDEO NASTY is created and written by Hugh Travers (“The South Westerlies”, “Dead and Beautiful”, “Red Rock”) and directed by Christopher Smith (Creep, Triangle, Severance) and Megan K. Fox (“Too Good to be True”).
The young cast includes Justin Daniels Anene (“Sanctuary”, “The Tourist”), Cal O’Driscoll (September Says, “Sanctuary”) and Leia Murphy (“Fair City”, “Small Town, Big Story”) as well as Oliver Finnegan (“Outlander”, “We are Lady Parts”).
Producer Ailish McElmeel said of the shoot: “Our fantastic cast and crew worked incredibly hard to bring Hugh’s scarily funny scripts to screen, helmed by the talented Chris Smith and Megan K. Fox. I can’t wait for audiences to see the fruits of their labour.”
The series is executive produced by Boat Rocker’s David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg, Nick Nantell, and Erik Pack, in addition to Eddie Doyle and Raphaëlle Oloan for BBC, Frank Tönsmann for WDR, SWR and NDR (FabFiction-Initiative), Nada Cirjanic for Screen Ireland and Ailish McElmeel, Paul Donovan and Marc Lorber for Deadpan Pictures and writer Hugh Travers.
It will be broadcast on BBC Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer on 8th January, on BBC Three on 9th January in the UK, and on Virgin Media Television in the Republic of Ireland on 20th January.
