House of Guinness stars confirmed to unite for "dynamic, loud, and uncompromising" Belfast-set drama based on award-winning novel

Channel 4 has announced a brand new four-part drama based on the bestselling debut novel by author Michael Magee, Close to Home. Sharing the same name as the 2023 hit novel, the new drama will be headed up by a cast of stellar talent including House of Guinness stars Anthony Boyle and Seamus O’Hara, as well as Jessica Reynolds (A Woman of Substance) and Oisín Thompson (Trespasses).

Boyle is set to lead the cast as Sean, a young man who returns to his home of Belfast after university and is sucked back into old habits. As per the synopsis: "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."

The series has been described as revelling "in the reckless decadence of youth and celebrates a generation growing up in the wake of the troubles", adding that it's "a striking tale of love, trauma and finding your place in the scarred city you call home."

On the announcement of the Channel 4 adaptation of his novel, writer 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."

Code of Silence's Diarmuid Goggins will be taking over directing duties for the series, which is also being produced by the multi award-winning company Element Pictures, who have helped bring us the likes of Pillion, Bugonia and Normal People.

While a release date for Close to Home is yet to be announced, we do know that filming is set to kick off in Belfast later this month and further casting will also be announced in due course.

As for the cast, Boyle has recently starred in Steven Knight's Netflix drama, House of Guinness, but is also known for his roles in Say Nothing, Apple TV's Masters of the Air and Manhunt, as well as Disney+'s Shardlake.

O'Hara will be starring in Close to Home as Anthony, Sean's brother, but has appeared in some of the same shows as Boyle like Say Nothing and House of Guinness. O'Hara is also known for his roles in Blue Lights.

As for Reynolds, Outlander fans may recognise her as Malva Christie but she too has starred in House of Guinness, Kneecap and is also set to head up the cast of Channel 4's A Woman of Substance. She is set to star in Close to Home as Mairéad, who is one of Sean's long-time friends. Rounding out the main cast is Thompson, who has most recently been seen on screens in Northern Irish drama Trespasses. He's set to star as Ryan in Close to Home, another one of Sean's friends.

Commenting on the announcement of the series, Gemma Boswell, commissioner editor for Channel 4, says: "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."

Similarly, executive producer Michael Dawson says: "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."

Close to Home will be coming to Channel 4.

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