Tip Toe Series Acquired by STARZ
STARZ has acquired the exclusive U.S. and English Canada rights to Tip Toe, a darkly witty yet harrowing and explosive thriller from BAFTA award-winning writer Russell T Davies (It’s a Sin, Queer as Folk) that explores the most corrosive forces facing the LGBTQ+ community today.
Starring Alan Cumming (The Traitors) and David Morrissey (Sherwood) as warring neighbors, the five-part series will premiere exclusively on STARZ later this year. Tip Toe was commissioned by U.K. Broadcaster Channel 4 from Quay Street Productions, part of ITV Studios, and recently premiered in the U.K. to critical acclaim and unanimous praise for its performances and storytelling.
Leo (Cumming) and Clive (Morrissey) have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years. Leo runs Spit & Polish, a bar on Canal Street, and Clive is an electrician with two teenage sons.
But just as life should be settling down for both of them, the world around them is growing more tense. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalized, and the two neighbors gradually become deadly enemies in a tense, thrilling drama that spotlights the prejudices that have begun to creep back into our lives, a story that speaks not just to the queer community but to the world at large.
“Russell T Davies has created a gripping and deeply affecting series that speaks directly to the cultural tensions and anxieties shaping modern life,” said Alison Hoffman, President, STARZ Networks.
“Anchored by extraordinary performances from Alan Cumming and David Morrissey, ‘Tip Toe’ examines identity, fear, and polarization in our society in a way that is at once funny, devastating and profoundly human. It’s exactly the type of daring and original storytelling that we’re dedicated and proud to champion at STARZ.”
“It’s my great delight to return to STARZ after many years,” said Russell T Davies, executive producer. “Tip Toe’s launch in the U.K. has shown that audiences are hungry for strong, bold, opinionated material – and that’s a perfect fit for STARZ!”
“We’re absolutely thrilled to partner with STARZ to bring this exceptional series to American audiences,” said Tom Clark, EVP, Global Sales & Commercial Strategy at ITV Studios. “‘Tip Toe’ delivers bold and distinctive storytelling that resonates globally, and after an impactful debut in the U.K., we can’t wait for U.S. viewers to experience this gripping drama.”
Filmed entirely in Manchester, the series also stars Pooky Quesnel (The A Word, Moonflower Murders) as Clive’s wife, Marie; Jackson Connor (Phoenix Rise, Masters of the Air) as Clive’s youngest son, George; Joseph Evans (The Map That Leads to You, CC Emily) as George’s older brother, Saul; Elizabeth Berrington (Lost Boys & Fairies, Last Night in Soho) as Leo’s best friend, Stephanie.
The cast also includes Iz Hesketh (Renegade Nell, Hollyoaks) as Zee and Shakeel Kimotho (La Cage Aux Folles, Cats) as Hanna, who both work at Spit & Polish; Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Wednesday, Devs) as the bar’s manager, Judy; Paul Rhys (Saltburn, Napoleon) as Melba, a Canal Street fixture; Charlie Condou (Doctor Who, Unforgotten) as Leo’s ex-husband, Curtis; and Denise Welch (Waterloo Road, Coronation Street) as Diane.
Tip Toe is produced by Quay Street Productions, with Nicola Shindler, CEO of Quay Street Productions (Happy Valley, It’s a Sin, Queer as Folk), Russell T Davies (Doctor Who, Queer as Folk, It’s a Sin), Peter Hoar (The Last of Us, It’s A Sin) and Alan Cumming serving as executive producers.
The series is produced by Phil Collinson (It’s a Sin, Gentleman Jack), directed by Peter Hoar, and is cast by Andy Pryor (Doctor Who, It’s a Sin). Tip Toe is produced in association with ITV Studios, which also distributes the show internationally. The deal with STARZ was brokered by Katie Buchanan and Rob Kaplan at ITV Studios.
