sitting limbo

Everything you need to know about devastating drama Sitting in Limbo

Patrick Robinson stars as Anthony Bryan

TV & Film Editor
June 8, 2020

Sitting in Limbo is out on BBC One on Monday night, and tells the dramatic true story of Anthony Bryan, a Jamaican-born man who moves to the UK aged eight and, after living there for 50 years, is suddenly sacked from his job, stricken of NHS access or benefits, and taken to a detention centre in Dorset by immigration. Here's everything you need to know about the new series... 

What is Sitting in Limbo about?

The film takes a look at the 2018 Windrush scandal, in which at least 83 people were wrongly detained and threatened with deportation by the Home Office. Longterm UK residents were also refused re-entry into the UK, and the scandal led to Amber Rudd's resignation as Home Secretary. The story of Anthony was written by his brother, Stephen S Thompson, who opened up about his sibling's unfathomable struggle at the prospect of being deported despite spending most of his life in the UK. 

The film is based on a true story

He told Radio Times: "Like everyone caught up in the Windrush scandal, Anthony has been severely traumatised by the experience. It has badly affected his confidence and left him questioning his very identity. As his brother, I saw what he went through first-hand. I couldn’t bear the idea that he had suffered in vain and it made me determined to tell his story. For me, this is personal." Speaking about the experience himself on Channel 4 News, Anthony previously said: "It's stressful, when they brought me in and locked me in the van, and I knew I didn't do nothing, it's hard to keep your mind. It'd have been easy if I had done something." 

When is Sitting in Limbo on television?

The one-off television film will be released on BBC One on Monday 8 June at 8.30pm, and will available on iPlayer soon after. Watch the trailer for the upcoming film here... 

WATCH: Sitting in Limbo trailer

Sitting in Limbo cast 

Patrick Robinson, who is perhaps best known for his role as Ash in Casualty, leads the cast as Anthony Bryan, while Save Me star Nadine Marshall plays his wife, Janet Bryan. Meanwhile, Anthony and Janet's children, Gary and Eileen, will be played by Pippa Bennett Warner and CJ Beckford respectively. The cast also includes Corinne Skinner Carter, Tim Preece, Andrew Dennis and Jane Wood. 

The new BBC drama is out on Monday 

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