Ready for a very unusual new BBC drama? The first look for the upcoming series Men Up is here, and has an incredible cast including Outlander's very own Mark Lewis Jones. Intrigued? Find out more here…
The new show is set to focus on the five Welshmen who took part in the medical trial for a new drug which would later become Viagra. The true story follows the group at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital in 1994 – and will premiere on BBC One later in 2023.
So who is set to star? The series has some seriously famous cast members, including Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon, Dunkirk's Aneurin Barnard and A Discovery of Witches actor Paul Rhys. The show will also be a reunion for Gavin and Stacey cast members Joanna Page and Steffan Rhodri, who also star.
The synopsis for the fictionalised show reads: "Meurig (Iwan Rheon) yearns for intimacy with his wife, Ffion (Alex Roach). He loves her with all his heart but feels trapped by his inability to rekindle the spark in their marriage. He’ll do anything to reignite the flames. Anything but talk to her.
© Photographer: Tom Jackson"There’s Tommy (Paul Rhys), a gay man who desperately lies about his sexuality because the trial was set up for straight sex. Spurred on by his friend and clinical nurse Moira Davies (Joanna Page), how far will his lies go to find happiness? Colin (Steffan Rhodri) lives an isolated life with his crossword puzzles after his wife’s death.
"He thinks he’s found the one in Teresa (Lisa Palfrey), his phone pal from the Lonely Hearts column. But when she asks to meet in person, fear sets in. It’s been so long since he’s been with a woman. What if she wants to consummate their budding romance?"
© Photographer: Tom JacksonAnd what about Mark's character? The Outlander star plays Eddie, who is described as "a seemingly strong man but beneath the surface is a vulnerability".
© Photographer: Tom JacksonThe synopsis concludes: "Men Up explores the fragilities of our characters in pursuit of their ultimate reward... the return of a romantic connection in their lives. But as the drug brings the hope of a return to that once-lost intimacy, the men realise the hard work has only just begun. The trial will take them to some very unexpected places and force them to re-assess their lives."
