Empire Road

A gentle, grounded neighbourhood soap where everyday worries and small kindnesses play out with warmth and quiet wisdom.

Created by

Horace Ové, Michael Custance

Genres

Drama

Starring

Meg Johnson, Rudolph Walker, Joseph Marcell

Overview

Empire Road was a British television series, made by the BBC in 1978 and 1979. Written by Michael Abbensetts, the show ran for two seasons of eight episodes each. The series was the first British television series to be written, acted and directed predominantly by black artists. A soap opera, similar in format to Coronation Street, Empire Road depicted life for the African-Caribbean, East Indian and South Asian residents of a racially diverse street in the city of Birmingham. Prominent cast members included Norman Beaton, Corinne Skinner-Carter, Wayne Laryea, Joseph Marcell and Rudolph Walker. The programme also provided early TV exposure for Julie Walters who appeared in a few episodes. The series was made at BBC Pebble Mill with location work in the Handsworth area of Birmingham. The eponymously named theme song was recorded by Matumbi and also released as a single in 1978.

How it feels

Warm, earnest, melancholic and light. Measured and easy to follow.

About

Family, race, identity, friendship

Content

Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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