So, this is Christmas, Shane Meadows style

Camilla Campbell, Head of Drama

"A time for forgiving and for forgetting, Christmas is love, Christmas is peace"

Channel4 is delighted to announce that renowned filmmaker Shane Meadows is set to follow up the explosive,  South Bank Show award-winner for Best Drama, This Is England '86 with a one off, 1 X 2 hour Christmas Special, This Is England '88  for transmission in December 2011 on Channel 4. 

Commissioned by Head of Drama, Camilla Campbell and in a first for the channel, the feature length special will see Meadows pick up the action in the Christmas of 1988. With the gang all back, the central relationship between Lol and Woody will be the main focus around which the story will unfold.

And while, Cliff may have been at No 1 during the festive season with Mistletoe and Wine, will it be a time for trusting and no deceiving, a time of love and laughter and joy ever after? This is England. This is Christmas.

Shane Meadows says; "A bit like Al Pacino in Godfather III. Just when I think my love affair with This is England is over, it pulls me back in"

Camilla Campbell, Head of Drama says  " This Is England '86 was the highest rating original drama series launch ever seen on C4 and we're beyond excited that Shane, Warp Films and the cast have agreed to return with this feature length drama.   It is set to pull together a lot of story threads from '86, leaving the way clear for a new series of This Is England '90 which is currently in development." 

This Is England '88 will be directed by Shane Meadows, written by Shane Meadows and Jack Thorne, produced by Mark Herbert and Warp Films, with filming to begin in Spring 2011. More details to be announced.