Award-winning writer Russell T Davies is set to make a powerful return to Channel 4 with “Tip Toe,” a new five-part drama that promises to confront growing tensions facing the LGBTQ+ community. The series marks Davies’ first Channel 4 project since the acclaimed “It’s A Sin.”
Set in Manchester’s Canal Street, “Tip Toe” follows neighbors Leo, a bar owner, and Clive, an electrician with teenage sons, as their lives become entangled in a tense suburban thriller. The story explores how seemingly settled lives can unravel as social tensions rise and prejudices resurface, transforming two neighbors into adversaries.
“This is a show I had to write because the world is getting stranger, tougher and darker, and frankly, the fight is on,” says Davies, whose previous works include “Doctor Who” and “Queer as Folk.” The series will examine what Davies describes as the most corrosive forces facing the LGBTQ+ community today, as “problems we thought were long-gone are returning, toughened and weaponised.”
The project reunites the creative team behind the groundbreaking “Queer as Folk,” including executive producer Nicola Shindler and director Peter Hoar, who recently garnered acclaim for his work on “The Last of Us.” Their return to Manchester’s Canal Street, 25 years after “Queer as Folk,” aims to tell a story that resonates beyond the queer community to address broader contemporary social issues.
Despite its serious themes, the drama will feature Davies’ trademark wit and humor, populated with what Channel 4 promises will be a cast of vibrant characters. The series is described as both an urgent call to arms and a gripping tale that brings attention to emerging social threats.
“Tip Toe” will be produced by Quay Street Productions, with filming expected to begin later this year. The announcement follows Davies’ track record of creating impactful LGBTQ+ programming, including “It’s A Sin,” which became Channel 4’s most successful streaming boxset.
