"The best thing since Happy Valley": Inside Sally Wainwright’s "deeply emotional" new drama Riot Women

She’s behind some of the most popular dramas of the last few years, including Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax and Gentleman Jack – and now Sally Wainwright is gifting us with another one that might just top them all. We’ve been given a sneak peek at her "deepy emotional" six-part drama, Riot Women, and we can confirm: Sally Wainwright is still a genius.

Centred around five women who decide to enter a local talent contest as a newly formed punk-rock band, the starry cast includes Tamsin Greig, Joanna Scanlan, Sherwood's Lorraine Ashbourne and Anne Reid. Sally Wainwright has said of the series: "I think I am more excited about this than anything else I have ever written. Ever. Oh my God. We have five of the most fabulous actresses on the planet playing the Riot Women. It's scarily exciting."

While we await the arrival of the series on our screens this autumn, here’s everything you need to know about the best new drama since Happy Valley, including the plot, cast and how to watch it…

What is Riot Women about?

Set in Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, Riot Women centres around five women who come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band to enter a local talent content. But when it comes to writing their first song, the women soon discover they have a lot more to say than they first thought.

As they juggle life's struggles, demanding jobs, grown-up children, ageing parents, ex-husbands and relationships, the band becomes a catalyst for change in all of their lives, and the ripple effect is seemingly never-ending. With each episode, a long-buried secret begins to surface, entangling the women in an unlikely and complex web that threatens to tear everything, including the band, apart.

The series is a testament to the power of friendship, music, and the resilience of women in their midlife who refuse to be silent and "act their age". It will feature original songs from the band ARXX, and creator Sally is just as excited about it as the rest of us. "I'm having a whole new buzz of excitement about the show as we bring it together in the edit, and I can't wait to share it with everyone!" she says.

Roanna Benn, Drama Republic CEO and executive producer, says: “Led by the inimitable and incredible Sally, Riot Women is timely and vital, as well as riotously entertaining and deeply emotional. And it stars and is being made by a phenomenal group of women absolutely in their prime! We cannot wait to share it with everyone.”

Who's starring in Riot Women?

So, who are the five fabulous actresses at the heart of the drama? Tamsin Greig will play Holly, Lorraine Ashbourne will play Jess, Joanna Scanlan will play Beth, Rosalie Craig will play Kitty and Amelia Bullmore will play Yvonne.

They will be joined by Anne Reid, who will play Nancy, Holly and Yvonne’s mother, with Sue Johnston as Jess’s Aunt Mary. Peter Davison, Claire Skinner and Angel Coulby round out the cast.

How can I watch Riot Women?

The BBC hasn't shared a release date just yet for Riot Women, but we do know that it will premiere on BBC One and iPlayer at some point this autumn. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we'll share it here.