The four-episode period drama series created by Sarah Solemani and directed by Lisa Mulcahy based on a novel of the exact name by Jo Bloom was released on BBC One on October 3, 2021.
Speaking with Awards Radar, series creator and executive producer Sarah Solemani was asked about her choice of source material and the important things she felt needed to include. On showcasing Jewish content that might probably be very difficult to understand by the audiences, she broke it down in detail:
“I think because the kind of pulse of the show is this thriller genre of trying to infiltrate and trying to defeat, I could actually get away with Jewish references that didn’t need explanation because they’re not plot-driven, so, for example, the lighting of the candles on Shabbat, and the blessing of the child by the mother on Shabbat, you don’t need to know exactly the reasons behind that prayer to know, oh, this is something a Jewish family does each week.”
On the applicability of Jewish cast playing Jewish roles, Solemani remarked:
“It’s an interesting debate. Agnes O’Casey is a patrilineal Jew. Her Jewish line goes through her grandfather and her father. For me, that was enough, and her relationship with her faith as being sort of inside and outside is something I relate to as a patrilineal Jew who ended up doing a formal conversion. But I know that it did feel problematic to people who didn’t understand her heritage. It’s an ensemble cast that are a mixture of Jewish people and non-Jewish people. For me, casting is a huge issue. It was actually more about class than about faith…for me, bringing working-class actors onto the screen and giving them opportunities, that probably led to my casting decisions more than any racial, religious, ethnic heritage.”
To fans who are wondering about Season 2 of Ridley Road, it’s uncertain if the program will be back for more. Here’s everything we know about Ridley Road’s 2nd season.
Ridley Road Season 2 Premiere Date: When is it coming out?
The four-episode drama was first ordered in 2019 by BBC One and Red Production, and the teaser images were published in October 2020. Ridley Road marked its debut in 2022 on the farther side of the Atlantic. The first season, Episode one aired on Masterpiece on PBS on 1 May 2022.
As far as the 2nd season of Ridley Road is concerned, further updates have yet to be provided.
“Britain’s relationship with fascism is closer and more alive than we like to think. Luckily, so is our rich heritage of fighting it,” Sarah Solemani disclosed to BBC in 2019. “Jo Bloom’s gripping book revealed a darker side of sixties London and the staggering contribution the Jewish community made in the battle against racism. I am thrilled to be working with RED and the BBC to bring this little-known slice of British history to the screen.”
The Cast of Ridley Road Season 2
If a second season happens, the characters expected to return are as follows:
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Agnes O’Casey will have play Vivien Epstein
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Tom Varey in the role of Jack Morris
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Rory Kinnear portrays Colin Jordan
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Romane Portail will be back as Jordan’s Françoise Dior
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Eddie Marsan will be seen as Soly Malinovsky
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Tracy-Ann Oberman will play the role of Nancy Malinovsky
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Danny Sykes will act as Ronnie Malinovsky
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Samantha Spiro will be portraying the role of Liza Epstein
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David Epstein will be played by Will Keen Roza will be portrayed by Julia Krynke
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Tamzin Outhwaite will play the character of Barbara
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Gabriel Akuwudike will be back as Stevie
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Rita Tushingham will play Nettie Jones
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Allan Corduner will depict Rabbi Lehrer
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Nigel Betts in the role of Mr Gary Burns
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Hannah Traylen plays Chrissy
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Danny Hatchard will act as Lee
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Hannah Onslow portrayed Elise
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Stephen Hogan will be playing as George Lincoln Rockwell
What Can We Expect From The Plot of Season 2 of Ridley Road?
Season 1 of Ridley Road follows the recent peak of antisemitism, which was adapted from the novel “Ridley Road” by Jo Bloom. Nonetheless, just like the novel, the four-episode season concluded with the two lovers finally reuniting. So, it’s not known if the series will return for a second run but it’d be interesting how the story unfolds from here.