Half Man release date: When is it on?
Confirmed release date and everything you need to know.
First episode release date: 24 April
Release time: 6am, BBC iPlayer
Release pattern: Weekly
Total episodes: Six
Channel/Streaming: BBC & BBC iPlayer
Last updated: 23 March 2026
It's been two years since Richard Gadd's headline-grabbing Baby Reindeer hit Netflix and many were eager to see what the innovative writer and actor would come up with next.
Next month, we'll get all the answers as he'll star in his new drama that he's also created, Half Man, for the BBC and HBO.
Gadd plays Ruben opposite Jamie Bell as his on-screen brother, Niall, and while they're not related by blood, they have a fierce and unbreakable bond - that is until they break apart and find that the closest relationships break the hardest.
Read on for all you need to know about Half Man, coming very soon to the BBC.
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Half Man release date: When is it on?
The first episode of Half Man will air on 24 April from 6am on BBC iPlayer. It will follow later that week on BBC One at a time that is yet to be announced.
New episodes will be released weekly and there are six episodes in total.
Is there a trailer for Half Man?
There currently isn't a trailer for Half Man, but we'll keep this page up to date when it lands.
In the meantime, the BBC and HBO shared some pictures from the series which certainly set the tone for the drama.
Who is in the Half Man cast?
Main cast expected to appear includes:
- Richard Gadd as Ruben
- Jamie Bell as Niall
- Mitchell Robertson as young Niall
- Stuart Campbell as young Ruben
- Neve McIntosh as Lori (Niall's mother)
- Marianne McIvor as Maura (Ruben's mother)
Plus more, whose roles have yet to be confirmed.
What will happen in Half Man?
Half Man has been penned by Gadd himself, and while set in Scotland, the similarities to his life, we're told, end there - unlike his previous work, Baby Reindeer.
The story will follow Ruben and Niall and while they're not related in blood, they have a brotherly bond that is unbreakable. One is fierce and loyal while the other is meek and mild-mannered. They came into each other's lives through death and circumstance and all they have in this life is each other...
When Ruben turns up at Niall's wedding 30 years later, everything is different. Ruben is not acting like himself and soon violence takes place which propels the viewer through their lives in the '80s to the present day.
Half Man captures three decades of two broken men, exploring brotherhood, violence and the fragility of male relationships.
Where can I watch Half Man?
Live: BBC One (time TBC)
Streaming: BBC iPlayer
Catch-up: BBC iPlayer.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Helen Daly is the Deputy Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.
