The Americans and Widow’s Bay star confirmed for “rollercoaster” and “generational” true story drama from BBC

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Matthew Rhys is known for his recent work in shows like Apple TV+’s Widow’s Bay and Netflix’s The Beast in Me, and he’ll also appear in the upcoming season of Presumed Innocent. Now, it’s been confirmed he’ll be taking on a leading role in a new BBC drama.

Rhys will star as Sir Harry Evans in Dragon Slayers, a new drama based on the life of the former editor of The Sunday Times. He’s also an executive producer on the project. The show will highlight Evans’s groundbreaking work leading the newspaper’s investigative team, which was famous for uncovering major stories in British history.

This six-episode series, including one extra-long 90-minute installment, will explore some of the most significant stories reported by Harry and his team during the 1970s. It will be based on thorough research and interviews with people who knew him well, including his family and his wife, Tina Brown.

From 1967 to 1981, Evans served as the editor of The Sunday Times. He then became editor of The Times for a single year, shortly before Rupert Murdoch bought the newspaper.

Evans is best known for his powerful investigative journalism, particularly his work at The Sunday Times where he successfully campaigned for compensation for mothers affected by the drug thalidomide, which caused severe birth defects. This remains a significant achievement of his career.

Peter Bowker, the writer behind popular shows like World On Fire, Blackpool, and The A Word, is creating Dragon Slayers. Al Mackay, known for his work on The Cage, will direct the series.

The Dragon Slayers team, led by Harry, fearlessly challenged powerful organizations – including corporations, the legal system, and even the government – all in their dedication to their readers and uncovering the truth, which was often concealed and sometimes risky to expose.

This team bravely fought for those harmed by the drug Thalidomide, revealing the attempts to hide the truth about the tragedy. They also investigated the cause of the DC-10 plane crash – which was, at the time, the deadliest in history – and risked everything by exposing Kim Philby as a highly effective spy for the enemy.

When the series was announced and Matthew Rhys was cast, writer Pete Bowker shared that it was a real honor and pleasure to tell the story of Harry Evans and his Insight team. He added that having Rhys as the lead was fantastic.

We all share a wish to celebrate the incredible spirit, determination, and wit of these individuals. I hope this story will encourage us to reconsider journalism and the often-criticized 1970s.

Lindsay Salt, head of BBC Drama, described the upcoming series Dragon Slayers as a thrilling and impactful story, praising Pete Bowker’s writing for its wit and meaningful themes. She also highlighted the enduring relevance of the investigative journalism uncovered by Harry Evans and his team, and expressed excitement about Matthew Rhys taking on the role of the celebrated journalist.

A release date for the series hasn’t been announced yet, but we expect to hear about more cast members once filming begins.

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Dragon Slayers will be coming to BBC One and iPlayer.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing, freelancing, and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-05-05 13:36