Unforgotten legend confirmed for The Split spin-off series as star-studded cast revealed
Sanjeev Bhaskar and Ritu Arya will lead the cast of The Split Up, following a new legal family.
The cast has been officially announced for The Split Up, the new series based on The Split but featuring a brand new story and new characters.
The drama, which has been created by Ursula Rani Sarma (Delicious) and is being executive produced by The Split creator Abi Morgan, will star Sanjeev Bhaskar (Unforgotten) and Ritu Arya (The Umbrella Academy) as father-and-daughter lawyers Aria and Dhruv Kishan.
Aria is poised to take over the running of the family's legal firm Kishan Law, but the death of her mother causes Dhruv to have second thoughts about whether his daughter can, or should, take on this responsibility on her own.
A synopsis reads: "Aria’s relationship is placed under scrutiny too with the wedding to her long-term partner Neal (Danny Ashok) on the horizon, but with their personal and professional so entwined it’s unclear if they can withstand any more pressure - a problem further compounded when a former secret flame (Dimitri Leonidas) arrives in Manchester unexpectedly.
"Alongside her siblings Maya (Aysha Kala) and Kav (Arian Nik), Aria must navigate the splits that divide family and those we love – and ask herself: who should you live your life for?"
Also starring alongside Arya, Bhaskar, Ashok, Leonidas, Kala and Nik will be Mawaan Rizwan (Juice), Sindhu Vee (That Christmas), Shalini Peiris (The White Lotus), Tom Forbes (Bookish), Sir Lenny Henry (The Sandman) and Jane Horrocks (Here We Go).
Sarma said in a statement: "Having admired The Split and Abi Morgan for years, I was honoured to be asked to bring The Split Up to life. As a writer passionate about representation, it’s a dream come true to place a contemporary British South Asian family centre stage.
"Diversity deepens our understanding, enriches our stories, and reflects the true fabric of our society. It’s thrilling to watch our amazing cast led by Ritu and Sanjeev bring the Kishan family to life. I can’t wait for audiences to meet them and to witness the drama as it unfolds."
Meanwhile, Morgan added: "The chance to take all that was loved about The Split and use it to inspire the next generation of British South Asian talent, to create a new family of dynamic lawyers spilling over with all the messiness of life, both personally and professionally, has been a brilliant challenge, beautifully realised by lead writer Ursula Rani Sama.
"I hope audiences will take it to their hearts."
The six-part series has begun filming in Manchester, as the BBC marks 60 years of South Asian programming this month.
Earlier this year, Kaamil Shah – who is acting as a writer on The Split Up – teased that it will be "really sexy", while speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com for a Pass the Mic interview.
He said: "I'm really proud to be working on a show that's genuinely got heart-stopping moments of British Asians being messy, having relationship dramas, affairs and all of these fun things. So I'm really excited to be working on that."
Watch the full Pass the Mic interview with Kaamil Shah here:
The Split Up will be coming soon to the BBC. The Split is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
