As James Graham's eagerly anticipated series Sherwood hits our screens, Danielle de Wolfe speaks with its creator and all-star cast to discover more.

Screenwriter James Graham is no stranger to tackling homegrown topics of contention.

Whether it's political debate as part of his Channel 4 drama Brexit: The Uncivil War, royal upheaval as seen in The Crown or financial deception courtesy of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire-inspired ITV drama Quiz, his immersive, thought-provoking material has catapulted the screenwriter into the spotlight.

Graham's latest project, Sherwood, is no exception. This time though, he's chosen to tackle a subject matter that hits a little closer to home. Set in the present day and inspired by real-life events, the six-part original series takes place in the Nottinghamshire mining village of the same name - the environment in which Graham himself was raised.

Describing the forthcoming project as a chance to "invest in the characters and voices" he grew up with, the Emmy-nominated writer hopes the fictionalised tale will both educate and inform viewers through the medium of an "entertaining crime thriller".

It's a series which sees directorial duties shared between Bafta award-winner Lewis Arnold (Cleaning Up, Time) and Bafta-nominee Ben Williams (Humans, War of the Worlds). A gripping tale of post-Brexit Britain, Sherwood is 21st Century life as seen through the eyes of communities whose voices have long fallen on deaf ears.

"It's an opportunity to shine an artistic spotlight on these red-wall towns which have suddenly penetrated our national psyche so much, and are once again being used as a political weapon in this ideological culture war we're apparently all meant to be fighting," says Graham defiantly.

"And then of course, it is inspired by several real life stories; a double killing and a manhunt - one of the largest manhunts in British history."

THE CAST

Boasting an A-list cast, Sherwood stars a host of recognisable names, including Academy Award nominee and The Crown star Lesley Manville as local resident Julie Jackson. Estranged from her sister Cathy, played by Whitechapel star Claire Rushbrook, it's a relationship that reflects the wider divisions of a community, tracing back to the miners' strike of 1984.

With Julie's stubbornness juxtaposed by the even temperament of her sister Cathy, the pair hold opposing views when it comes to the historic strikes. It's a subject Rushbrook is all too aware of, describing Sherwood as a project that "covers topics you usually approach with trepidation".

Joined by The Walking Dead's David Morrissey as Detective Chief Superintendent Ian St Clair - a renowned officer who has made his way up the ranks, his character is forced to work alongside Detective Inspector Kevin Salisbury, played by Cold Feet's Robert Glenister. Former rivals, the two officers are now forced together, charged with solving the murders in question.

"It was important for me to play this policeman as someone who was the weight of the whole force on him," says Morrissey, 57. "He wasn't a representative of the whole force. He was very much an individual in this specific circumstance. I just felt, as with all the characters actually, that personal history was dictating their behaviour."

Describing Graham's "emotional intelligence" when it came to crafting the show's characters, Manville says her own working class upbringing allowed a notable level of empathy when it came to her character Julie.

"I sort of grew up with a sense of community - not quite as politically fired as this community, but I kind of get Julie. She's been a very passionate supporter of the striking miners. Her husband was a striking miner. And as you see in her flashbacks, she's tough - and that kind of stoicism has stayed with her."

A stellar line-up is completed by Four Lions star Adeel Ahtar as Andy Fisher - a widowed, softly spoken local.

THE STORY

A project the scriptwriter deems both a "privilege and a responsibility", the working-class tale depicts a village that's yet to recover from historic divisions created by the miners' strike three decades earlier. It's every inch an illustration of how historic events continue to permeate modern society.

With stark fractures already present within the small community, any remaining threads of comradeship are entirely severed when two killings rock the area. The first victim is Julie's husband, Gary - a vocal former miner who stood on the picket line in '84. After his body is found metres from their home, suspicion quickly engulfs the community.

Described by its writer as a chance to talk about "the death of industry and the search for a modern identity", the project taps into the lives of the individuals caught in the midst of the investigation.

"I remember the miners' strike," recalls Manville, 66, after a short pause. "It was something I grew up with and knew about, but I've never seen anything so beautifully written about that time."

It's a view seconded by Manville's co-star Adeel Ahtar, who notes much of Sherwood's appeal comes from the distinctive nature of Graham's writing. Citing the writer's ability to translate the anger and emotion of his local community onto paper as a "powerful" attribute, Ahtar highlights "an unarticulated quality" seen in the drama, one he says viewers will undoubtedly connect with.

"It's dealing with a community of people that feel as though they've been overlooked," says Ahtar, 41. "And through that sort of prism of storytelling, you can look at things within people's emotional lives that are overlooked as well. It feels like the television set is a window into (their) world."

But as suspicion hangs heavy in the air, one of Britain's largest manhunts gets under way. Trawling the heart of Sherwood Forest - a location Graham describes as steeped in "mythology, energy, history and folklore", it's a tale that quickly develops into a "spy-cop" drama according to star Glenister, 62, whose son Tom plays a younger version of his character as part of the series.

Describing how "the spy-cop theme" remains in the news today - "there are still people writing about their experiences of having been spied upon" says the actor - Glenister says the issues tackled as part of the series are as pertinent than ever.

As for what audiences will make of the project? The actor says people "might anticipate a whodunit", when what they actually get is a "whydunit". A project that presented Graham with an opportunity to examine the relationship between the local community and the police force, Sherwood highlights a growing sense of mistrust - an increasingly relevant issue to today's audiences.

"I think that before the strike, maybe, the police were part of the community. After the strike - and as a consequence of it, maybe, they ceased to be part of the community. And they became, I don't know, the enemy?" suggests Glenister.

"I've never thought about that before, but actually, of course the police were part of that community, because those communities were small and intense and mutually supportive."

Sherwood arrives on BBC One, tonight, 9pm.