Phoenix Rise (TV series)

Phoenix Rise is a British television series made by BBC Studios and Sinking Ship Entertainment that follows the stories of six students who form an unbreakable bond as they navigate the trials and tribulations of school life in the Midlands. The series was launched on BBC iPlayer on 21 March 2023, and had its terrestrial premiere on BBC Three on 24 March 2023.

Series 2 premiered on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three on 25 September 2023 while Series 3 premiered on BBC iPlayer on 24 May 2024 and BBC Three on 28 May 2024.

A fourth series of 10 episodes has been commissioned.

Synopsis
A diverse group of teenagers who have been excluded from a West Midlands school begin their first steps back into education.

Cast

 * Lauren Corah as Summer Bailey
 * Alex Draper as Billy Hopkins
 * Jayden Hanley as Darcy Trent
 * Krish Bassi as Khaled
 * Tara Webb as Rani
 * Imogen Baker as Leila
 * Orla McDonagh as Rhianna Hopkins
 * Tyler Fayose as Jamie Stewart
 * Joshua Cullinane as Nathan Keyes
 * Emmanuella Martins as Bee
 * Jessal Kullar-Bell as Cassidy
 * Jack Connor as Sam
 * Zita Sattar as Miss Abel
 * Paul Nicholls as Carl Hopkins
 * Lauren Crace as Ms Benson
 * Yasmin Steadman as Becky
 * Fintan Buckard as Ethan
 * Karen Johal as Noreen Khan
 * Anil Desai as Reaz Khan
 * India Lily Cooper as Faith

Production
The series was produced by BBC Kids & Family Productions. Perrie Balthazar and Matt Evans, creators, lead writers and executive producers on the series are both from the Midlands, where the series is set. They told the BBC they wanted to “focus on kids who had fallen through the cracks in the system, who were given one last chance to make a success of their time at school" and that they wanted a series that “champions the underdog, shining a light on kids who don't often get a chance in the spotlight on British TV." They met writing on EastEnders and discussed working on a new project together when both were writing on the Channel 4 series Ackley Bridge.

In April 2023, the series was renewed for series three and four by CBBC. The third series aired from 24 May 2024.

Casting
Paul Nicholls was cast as Carl, Billy's father, in June 2022 with Orla McDonagh playing Billy's sister Rihanna. Derby-based actress Yasmin Steadman landed the role of pupil federal officer Becky Phillips. Tyler Fayose appears as school headteacher Jamie Stewart. Actor Karen Johal joined the cast in June 2022 portraying Khaled's Mum Noreen Khan. The pupils are played by up-and-coming actors from across the West Midlands with show co-creator Matt Evans saying they wanted to find 'local talent and authentic voices' through an extensive casting process. In September 2023, the BBC announced that Fleur East would join the cast as music teacher Miss Meesha for series three and four.

Filming
Filming began in June 2022 in Coventry at the former secondary school Woodlands Academy. Locations were all found and managed by Nigel P Harris. Filming also took place in Coventry at the Steakout restaurant on Corporation Street, and Players Entertainment on Silver Street.

Music
The series featured original music from unsigned Coventry bands. The soundtrack, featuring 17 original tracks by West Midlands artists, was released by Demon Music Group on September 29, 2023.

Reception
Phil Harrison in The Guardian described the show as "a big-hearted coming-of-age drama", adding that the characters "don’t have any supernatural entities to fight; instead, they’re battling with more profound but universal problems such as absent parents, bullying and anger management" and that they were "easy to root for". Rebecca Nicholson's review in The Guardian praised the series for having a “refreshing, soapy confidence”, whilst the choice to “focus on outsiders who have been written off, but who might just be about to get their second chance, gives it a winning underdog mentality” and that the series seemed “all heart, all sincerity” with a “nobody left behind” ethos which was “sweetly affecting”. Barbara Ellen in The Observer concluded that the show "neatly captures the theatre of cruelty that is the school corridor" whilst Orla Thomas in the Radio Times highlighted "the touching relationship between Billy (Alex Draper) and his younger sister Rihanna (Orla McDonagh)" before adding that "the snappy dialogue [that] really brings this to life".

Broadcast
The series premiered in Australia on ABC on 17 November 2023. In Finland, the series premiered on Yle on 23 November 2023. In Norway, the series premiered on NRK on 7 June 2024.

Accolades
The series won the Royal Television Society Midlands award for Best Scripted Series in November 2023. It was also nominated for Best Writer and Breakthrough Performance for Alex Draper. It was nominated for Best Live Action Kids Drama at TBI's Content Innovation Awards and won the Mipcom Diversify award in October 2023 for Representation of Diversity in Kids Programming.