Filming has started on a second series of the award-winning BBC Scotland short form drama Float produced by Black Camel Pictures for BBC Scotland. Float will return as a 6x10’ series for BBC iPlayer followed by a 1x60 version on the BBC Scotland channel with Hannah Jarrett Scott and Jessica Hardwick reprising their leading roles as Jade and Collette.
The young adult coming-of-age drama hit screens in 2021 and followed the lives of Jade (Hannah Jarrett Scott) and Collette (Jessica Hardwick) as they tried to navigate and reconcile life and love within the confines of a small Scottish town. This honest and authentic portrayal attracted critical praise garnering multiple industry awards on the festival circuit including Best Short Form Series at Series Mania 2022.
Written by acclaimed Scottish playwright Stef Smith, the second series sees Jade and Collette reunite 18 months on from the events of the first series. Their spark remains but overcoming their own personal challenges will determine whether or not it can become anything more.
Commenting on the recommission Stef said: “I am so delighted to be able to bring Jade, Collette and crew back to the screen again. It’s a real privilege to revisit them 18 months on and introduce some new characters to the ensemble. The world of the show now takes place beyond the swimming pool but hopefully retains the familiarity of small town Scotland. The show is a total team effort and I’m grateful for getting a second bite of the cherry!”
Gavin Smith, commissioning executive for Scripted and Entertainment at BBC Scotland adds: “The first-class script and performances in Float struck a chord with our audiences and received critical acclaim internationally which was fantastic to see. We are extremely proud of the drama which started life as a pilot with the BBC Writersroom and captured beautifully a young LGBT adult love story set outside Scotland’s urban centres. We’re delighted to be commissioning a second series and look forward to finding out how life has treated Jade, Collette and the gang since we last met them.”
Jennifer Armitage from Screen Scotland said: “It is fantastic to be able to support the second series of the award-winning drama Float. Float has supported the development of Scottish talent on and off screen, and showcases the talents of emerging screenwriter Stef Smith and the team at Black Camel Pictures. The show’s incredible cast bring this fresh and moving story to life, and we can’t wait to catch-up with Jade, Collette and their friends and family again.”
Arabella Page Croft, Executive Producer Black Camel Pictures said “We're back!! Season 2 is a glorious opportunity to revisit our beloved short form series Float and to catch up with Jade and Collette's intricate lives and love. We are delighted to be recommissioned by BBC Scotland and partnering with Screen Scotland again. Critical reactions to S1 were so positive locally and nationally,and then to be recognised internationally and win multiple major awards has been such a delight for the whole team. We love Stef's wonderful scripts and are looking forward to our coastal shoot in scenic Helensburgh and Gourock.”
Float is commissioned by BBC Scotland in partnership with Screen Scotland and is a key feature of BBC Scotland’s multi-platform drive to develop and commission content for young under-represented audiences in Scotland. It continues BBC Scotland’s commitment to portray contemporary Scotland and the lives of audiences across BBC platforms.
Float is a Black Camel Pictures production for BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer. Arabella Page Croft is the executive producer / director and Bjorn Hanson is the producer.
Float will be scheduled on BBC iPlayer later this year.