Anthony Boyle to lead Channel 4's new drama Close To Home

It's a striking tale of love, trauma and finding your place in the scarred city you call home.

Channel 4 has announced a new four-part drama based on Michael Magee’s debut novel, Close to Home, which revels in the reckless decadence of youth and celebrates a generation growing up in the wake of the troubles. A striking tale of love, trauma and finding your place in the scarred city you call home.

It tells the story of Sean, a young man who finds himself back in Belfast. Back from university and back into old habits. Back on the mad all-nighters, the borrowed tenners and missing rent, the casual jobs that always fall through.

Back with his brother, his ma and all the things they never talk about. Back where the promised prosperity of peacetime has yet to arrive, and every street has a story to tell. One night, Sean assaults a stranger at a party, and everything is tipped into chaos.

Leading the cast will be Anthony Boyle as Sean, alongside Jessica Reynolds as Mairéad, Seamus O’Hara as Anthony, and Oisín Thompson as Ryan.

Made by Element Pictures, a Fremantle company, Close to Home has been adapted for the screen by Michael Magee and will be directed by Diarmuid Goggins, produced by Martin Mahon and executive produced by Christopher Aird, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, Michael Dawson, Michael Magee, Diarmuid Goggins and Anthony Boyle.

Speaking about adapting his debut novel for the screen, novelist and writer Michael Magee said "Developing Close to Home for television has been an intensely fulfilling creative experience, a dream come true, really, and I'm incredibly grateful to Michael Dawson and Clare Dwyer Hogg for all the work they've done with me on the scripts, and to Diarmuid Goggins and Gemma Boswell and the whole team at Element and Channel 4 for the passion and creative energy they've put into bringing this story to life."

To which Channel 4's Commissioner Editor, Gaemma Boswell, added, "It is a privilege to bring Mick’s award-winning novel to Channel 4. Close To Home explores the emotionally rich landscape of West Belfast through the eyes of Sean, played by the fantastic Anthony Boyle. We’re delighted to showcase Mick’s beautiful writing with this timely and evocative story of a young generation finding their place in the world."

And Executive Producer Michael Dawson said "In his debut novel, Mick has captured a compelling vision of Belfast life, brimming with anarchic energy, humanity and mischief. Diarmuid Goggins is the perfect filmmaker to bring this to the screen; his ability to fuse bold, kinetic visuals with a raw, grounded realism is exactly what this story demands. Together with the indomitable Anthony Boyle and our incredible partners at Channel 4, Fremantle, NI Screen, and Screen Ireland, we are set to deliver a piece of television that is as dynamic, loud, and uncompromising as the city itself."

The series will be distributed by Fremantle and is filmed with support from Northern Ireland Screen and Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland. Filming will begin this month in Belfast, with further casting and transmission details will be announced in due course.

Close to Home will air on Channel 4