Filming is underway in Glasgow for the BBC’s new high-stakes legal drama Counsels, a fresh eight-part series that promises courtroom rivalries, personal entanglements and ambitious young lawyers on the rise.

The show is co-created by Bryan Elsley (Skins, The Crow Road) and BBC Writers’ Drama Room graduate Gillian McCormack, and is being produced by Balloon Entertainment (Champion, Clique) for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland.

Counsels Premiere Dates

  • UK: BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland (release date to be announced)
  • International: Distributed by All3Media International in co-production with ZDFneo
  • Episodes: Eight-part series currently filming in Glasgow

Set against the backdrop of Glasgow’s bustling legal world, Counsels follows a group of twentysomething lawyers as they leave university life behind and begin forging serious careers.

Some represent powerful corporate interests, others fight for justice as public prosecutors, while a few act as the last hope for those with nothing left to lose.

Their professional battles often spill over into their personal lives as colleagues become competitors, friends turn into rivals, and lovers struggle to balance relationships with ambition.

At the centre of the story are six young lawyers trying to navigate messy personal lives while building their professional reputations. Jamie (Brandon Grace, My Lady Jane), Bav (Ro Kumar, Traces), Nadine (Eilidh Park, Wind of Change), Alasdair (George Prentice, The Pendragon Cycle), Katie (Alyth Ross, Last Light) and Karina (Rebecca Bell, Outlander: Blood of My Blood) each bring different ambitions and ideals into the demanding world of law.

They are joined by an impressive line-up of established actors. Michelle Gomez (The Flight Attendant, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Derek Riddell (Happy Valley, Industry), Laura Haddock (The Recruit), Daniela Nardini (This Life), Michael Nardone (The Night Manager), Sally Howitt (River City), Stuart Bowman (Guilt), Neshla Caplan (The Rig) and Stephen Purdon (Sweet Sixteen) round out the ensemble cast.

The show is being developed in association with All3Media International and co-produced with German broadcaster ZDFneo, positioning Counsels as a drama with international appeal.

With Bryan Elsley’s pedigree in creating sharp, youth-driven storytelling and McCormack’s fresh perspective, the series is expected to blend gripping legal storylines with emotional, character-driven narratives.

Balloon Entertainment, the company behind acclaimed dramas Champion and Clique, is producing the series. All3Media International will handle global distribution, ensuring the drama reaches audiences outside the UK.

With filming now underway, Counsels is shaping up to be one of the BBC’s most anticipated new dramas.

Audiences can expect a compelling mix of ambition, rivalry and passion when the series premieres on BBC platforms.