~ Damian Michael Barcroft ~
Good evening Whitechapel and a huge welcome to both new fans and those friends who have been with us from the very beginning. Against all of the odds, Ripper Street is back and in the words of Will Gould, Tiger Aspect’s Head of Drama and Ripper Street’s Executive Producer, it’s going to be “an epic year in Whitechapel.”
As many of you will have heard by now, Ripper Street has just begun filming and speaking on location in Manchester, Matthew MacFadyen said, “I’m delighted and excited to be back for a third series of Ripper. Thank you to Amazon, thank you to our fans who wanted more, and thank you to our wonderful writers and producers for giving us the most thoroughly brilliant, gripping and heart-rending episodes.” Series creator and lead writer, Richard Warlow, added: “It’s a day many of us thought we’d never see, but it is particularly wonderful to be able to say that cameras are rolling on Ripper Street once more.”
So, what can we expect from the eagerly anticipated third series? Plot details and official confirmation of all the actors that will be joining Matthew MacFadyen, Jerome Flynn and Adam Rothenberg are still a closely guarded secret but Tim Leslie, Vice President of Amazon Instant Video in the UK assures us that “the third instalment of the show is set to be grittier and more exciting than ever.”
However, we do know that MyAnna Buring will be returning in more of a “starring role” as Long Susan: “It’s so exciting to be able to come back and continue Long Susan’s journey… As a cast and crew we’ve become a kind of family so to be reunited is beyond lovely… And to know it was made possible by the support of fans of the show makes it all the more special.”
I’ll be keeping you up to date with all the news and developments including exclusive interviews with the cast and crew but for now, I’ve compiled the following list of frequently asked questions to tide you over…
When can we watch it?
The third series of Ripper Street will be made available exclusively to Amazon Prime Instant Video members in the autumn. BBC1 will screen the series a few months later and will continue to be distributed globally by BBC Worldwide.
In addition to the DVD boxsets, the first series is available for unlimited streaming on Amazon Prime Instant Video now and series two will also be launching on the service from 2nd June.
Why isn’t Ripper Street filming in Dublin anymore?
While filming has just begun in Manchester, the shoot will then move to Loughborough before finally returning to its traditional production base in Dublin. Filming is expected to be completed by late August.
How many episodes will there be?
The third series is going ahead as originally planned (i.e. before it was cancelled by the BBC late last year) with eight episodes as was the case with both series 1 and 2.
Who will be writing and directing the third series?
Episodes 1, 4, 7 and 8 will be written by series creator Richard Warlow. Episodes 2 & 3 by Toby Finlay and episode 5 by Rob Green. Block 1 will be directed by Andy Wilson while Anthony Byrne will direct Block 2.
Will the story follow on from the end of the last series?
The new series will move forward and begin in 1894. However, it will still deal with the aftermath of the dramatic series two finale.
Can you reveal any details regarding the storylines for series 3?
No, not really… However, here’s a clue: One story will revolve around the infamous Macnaghten Memoranda and if you’re unfamiliar with this report by Sir Melville Macnaghten, google it – I assure you it’s bloody good fun…
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Well, that’s all for now but as my dear Granny always advised before making my way home through the fearful abyss, don’t talk to strangers and if in doubt, ask a policeman. Speaking of which, I leave you with Sergeant Bennet Drake himself, Mr Jerome Flynn…
“I am just thrilled that we are getting the chance to do another season of Ripper, to inhabit that world and the wonderful character that is Bennet Drake…all I can say is that what I’ve seen of the scripts so far is very exciting…we really hit the ground running dramatically and all our characters are taken on intense journeys. It’s going to be quite a ride.”
~ Damian Michael Barcroft ~
With thanks to Iain McCallum and Ian Cubbon