When is The Outlaws on BBC and who is in the cast?

BBC audiences are keen to know when the new Stephen Merchant show The Outlaws is set to hit our screens.

He's known for being one of Britain's best comedy writers alongside long-time collaborator Ricky Gervais. Having had us in hysterics with hit shows like Extras and The Office. And now Stephen Merchant is back with a TV offering that is sure to have viewers entertained during the coming cold months.

Unlike Channel 4's new crime show Murder Island, the programme has been sold as a comedy thriller with plenty of laughs promised in between the action. It's just one of many new BBC dramas gripping audiences this autumn, following the success of Vigil, filmed in the UK, and the hotly anticipated true story, Landscapers, starring Olivia Coleman.

When is The Outlaws by Stephen Merchant on TV?

Stephen Merchant's new BBC show The Outlaws airs on Mondays at 9pm on BBC One.

UK viewers can also catch up on missed episodes via BBC iPlayer. Whilst audiences in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will be able to watch it on Amazon Prime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_-6-hYP7Dk

Whilst you're waiting for the next episode, why not check out some of the other incredible TV picks for this month? Complaints Welcome on Channel 4 starts in early October, starring Munya Chawawa, Jessica Knappett and Tom Allen, while Squid Game is still available to watch on Netflix.

What is The Outlaws by Stephen Merchant about?

The Outlaws, written by Stephen Merchant, has been described as a six-part comedy crime thriller.

The action takes place in Bristol, following a group of seven strangers who have been forced together to complete their Community Service sentences.

This diverse mix of misfits form unlikely friendships with one another. And when one member gets into trouble with a dangerous Bristol gang, it's up to the group to come together and protect them from trouble.

The story is one that holds many personal connections for Stephen Merchant, who himself grew up in Bristol. This is notably where the world premiere of The Outlaws took place on 4 October 2o21.

Stephen also drew from his own parent's experience of working within the community service sector for the piece.

"I was always intrigued that the many and varied people they dealt with only had one thing in common: they’d committed a crime," he said.

"As a writer I always include humour, but with The Outlaws I also get to add drama, pathos, crime genre thrills and say something optimistic about the common humanity that unites us all, whatever our background."

The Outlaws cast:

The seven central offenders are made up of an all-star cast:

• Academy Award-winner Christopher Walken (Pulp Fiction, Deer Hunter), plays Frank.
• Stephen Merchant (The Office, Extras, An Idiot Abroad) plays Greg.
• Darren Boyd (Killing Eve, Spy) plays John.
• Clare Perkins (EastEnders) plays Myrna.
• Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging) plays Gabby.
• Rhianne Barreto (Honour) plays Rani.
• Gamba Cole (Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle) plays Christian.

There's also a few other famous faces who make appearances throughout the series including Richard E. Grant (Withnail and I, Can You Ever Forgive Me?) who plays Gabby's father. Plus comedy actress Julia Davis (Nighty Night, Gavin and Stacey).

Getting Hollywood legend Christopher Walken in particular to join the cast was a huge feat for the series.

Stephen Merchant revealed that Walken agreed to the project over an omelette at Walken's home in Connecticut.

"I flew all the way to Connecticut and I sat with him and he had a lot of questions, and I was sat with him for about four hours and he made me an omelette," he recalled to PA media.

"It was very nice and we talked about the show, and he said to me 'what’s Bristol like?' and I said it was a bit like San Francisco. Because it’s exactly the same, with the bridge and the hilly-ness and everything. And he said 'yes, I’m up for it'. And so he came over."

The Outlaws will mark the 78-year-old's first British television lead role.

How many episodes of The Outlaws are there?

There are six episodes of The Outlaws to watch in total. And each episodes runs for just under an hour without ad breaks.

The show has already garnered rave reviews online, with fans praising the cast, action and soundtrack alike.

Twitter user @OpulentCockney said he didn't know what to expect from the show but found the first two episodes "excellent". Adding: "Had the right balance of comedy and drama, with an excellent soundtrack to boot."

Sinead have similar praise for The Outlaws online, tweeting: "I'm already loving #TheOutlaws. I forget how great a comedic actress Eleanor Tomlinson is, and kudos goes to writing a female lead character with an Asian mother and Polish father. Mixed heritage characters are so few on TV and I love this."