Half Man: BBC drops first intense trailer for Richard Gadd's emotional drama with Jamie Bell
The highly anticipated series is coming to the BBC soon
Half Man, the new drama from Baby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd, is coming to the BBC very soon – and we’ve just the first trailer.
In fact, as well as starring in it, Richard is the creator, writer and executive producer on the series.
Of course, Richard hurtled to fame in 2024 after his Netflix show Baby Reindeer became a huge hit. It also prompted a lawsuit – but, the less said about that, the better.
Here’s everything we know so far about Half Man, including when it’s due to be released, plot, cast, and location.
What is Half Man about?
Half Man is an original drama series from Emmy award-winning creator and executive producer Richard Gadd. It will follow two estranged brothers, Niall and Ruben.
“Niall and Ruben are brothers. Not related in blood but the closest you can get. One, fierce and loyal. The other, meek and mild-mannered. Inseparable youth. Brought into each other’s lives through death and circumstance, all they have is each other,” the synopsis teases.
“But when Ruben turns up at Niall’s wedding three decades later, everything seems different. He is on edge. Shifty. Not acting like himself.”
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An “explosion of violence” will “catapult” viewers through their early lives in the ’80s and back to the present day.
“Capturing 30 years in the lives of these broken men, Half Man explores brotherhood, violence, and the intense fragility of male relationships. After all, when things fall apart… it is sometimes the closest relationships which break the hardest.”
When is Half Man out?
Half Man will premiere on BBC iPlayer on April 24, 2026.
Like The Capture, episodes will drop weekly. The series will also make its US debut on HBO Max on April 23.
Who is in the cast of Half Man?
Richard Gadd, 35, will play Ruben in the cast of Half Man on BBC and HBO. Of course, TV viewers will know Richard best for his meteoric rise to fame playing Donny Dunn in the semi-autobiographical Baby Reindeer on Netflix.
Despite what feels like an overnight success, actor and stand-up comedian Richard has actually been on our TV screens since 2005.
Other notable roles include Callum in Tripped, Ben Howard in Clique, Liam Cleasby in Code 404, and Conrad Lennox in Wedding Season.
Jamie Bell, 38, will play Ruben’s estranged ‘brother’ Niall. Jamie made his name playing Billy Elliott in the 2000 film of the same name. He went on to portray Mark Sheedy in Close & True, Abraham Woodhull in TURN: Washington’s Spies, and Harper in Shining Girls.
He’s appeared in multitude of films, including All of Us Strangers, Rocketman, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, Jane Eyre, and King Kong. In 2015, he starred as The Thing in Fantastic Four.
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: “In Richard Gadd and Jamie Bell we have the perfect Ruben and Niall – two characters like no other, whose epic journey through the decades we can’t wait to have on the BBC.”
Half Man announces new cast members
Ahead of its release, the BBC has revealed who else is starring in Half Man:
- Charlie De Melo (Rivals)
- Bilal Hasna (The Agency)
- Julie Cullen (Traces)
- Amy Manson (The Nevers)
- Anjli Mohindra (The Lazarus Project)
- Tim Downie (Outlander)
- Tom Andrews (Feel Good)
- Philippine Velge (The Serpent Queen)
- Stuart McQuarrie (The Rig)
- Sandy Batchelor (SAS Rogue Heroes)
- Piers Ewart (The Primrose Railway Children)
- Scot Greenan (T2 Trainspotting)
- Charlotte Blackwood
- Calum Manchip
- Kate Robson-Stuart
Half Man is ‘poignant and singular’
Talking about his role in Half Man, Jamie Bell said: “I’m so excited to join this incredible creative team. Richard has once again crafted something poignant and singular. I’m honored to have been asked to bring this to life with him.”
Meanwhile, creator, writer and executive producer Richard Gadd, added: “When I wrote the show, I did it with Jamie Bell in mind, I didn’t think for a second we would manage to land him.
“So I could not be happier for everything that has come to pass in getting him on board. He is one of the greatest actors of his generation. And I am so looking forward to seeing what he does with the role.”
Where was Half Man filmed?
Half Man was filmed “in and around Glasgow” in 2025.
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland, said: “Half Man is a brilliant example of BBC Scotland’s ambition to bring high quality drama, rooted in Scotland, to audiences in Scotland, the UK and the world.”
How many episodes is Half Man?
Half Man will be a six-episode drama. Each instalment is expected to be 45 minutes long.
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