LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX

Premiering September 8 on PBS

Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid Lead Stellar Cast in BAFTA Award-Winning Drama

The critically acclaimed British drama LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX premieres Sunday, September 8, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. (check local listings) on PBS.

The six-part series leads into the finale of the MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! courtroom drama "Silk" as part of the continuing Sunday night destination for drama on PBS. LAST TANGO is an uplifting comedy/drama about romance and second chances. Full of zesty humor, authentic characters and glorious dialogue, it's about timeless love in a very modern setting.

Written by Sally Wainwright ("Scott and Bailey," "Unforgiven," "At Home with the Braithwaites") and directed by Euros Lynn ("Black Mirror," "Sherlock") and Sam Donovan ("Skins," "Secret Diary of a Call Girl"), LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX completed its first season in the UK in 2012. The premiere ranked within BBC One's top ten highest-rated drama series in 2012, attracting 7.3 million viewers. A second series has been commissioned in the UK. A Red Production for the BBC, LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX is produced by Karen Lewis and Nicola Shindler, with Sally Wainwright and Matthew Read as the executive producers.

"LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX comes to life through its heartfelt storytelling," said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS. "We hope viewers connect with the characters' ups and downs and experience the timeless nature of love with them. We are so pleased to add this series to the great collection of drama on Sunday nights."

Childhood sweethearts Alan and Celia, both widowed and in their 70s, fall for each other a second time when they are reunited on the internet after nearly 60 years. As their lives collide, the couple laments what might have been as they begin a life-affirming journey together. While their relationship is a celebratory tale of the power of love at any age, it is also a story about family and the complications the relationship causes, especially for their grown daughters.

Executive producer Nicole Shindler said, "'What if' is a question that haunts all of us, but in the hands of Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid, and the larger cast of LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX, it becomes a hugely thoughtful and funny look at love and loss and hope. Making the series was a complete joy for all of us involved, and Sally Wainwright and I are of course thrilled that we can share the series with viewers in the U.S. The themes and stories are completely universal, so we're hopeful that PBS viewers will enjoy the series as much as those in the UK."

LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX stars Derek Jacobi (The King's Speech, "The Borgias," My Week With Marilyn) as Alan, Anne Reid ("Upstairs, Downstairs," "Marchlands") as Celia, Sarah Lancashire ("Five Daughters," "Wuthering Heights," "Inspector George Gently") as Caroline, Nicola Walker ("Inside Men," "Spooks," "Being Human") as Gillian, Tony Gardner ("Fresh Meat," "My Parents Are Aliens") as John, Dean Andrews ("Life On Mars," "Ashes To Ashes," "Marchlands") as Robbie, Nina Sosanya ("Silk," "Five Days," "Hustle") as Kate, Ronni Ancona ("Skins," "Big Impression") as Judith and Josh Bolt ("Shameless," Nowhere Boy) as Raff.

Full episodes of LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX will be available for viewing on the PBS Video Portal for a limited time after each national broadcast.

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About Red Production Company

Red Production Company is one of the UK's leading independent drama producers. Since 1998 Red has worked with the UK's leading writers including Russell T Davies, Paul Abbott and Sally Wainwright on productions such as "Queer as Folk" (C4), "Clocking Off" (BBC1), "Bob & Rose" (ITV), "Scott & Bailey" (ITV), "Hit & Miss" (Sky Living) and "Last Tango in Halifax" (BBC1). For more information visit www.redproductioncompany.com, follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube or 'Like' us on Facebook.

About BBC Worldwide North America Sales & Distribution

BBC Worldwide Sales & Distribution is one of five core businesses under BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm and wholly-owned subsidiary of the UK public service broadcaster, BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). BBC Worldwide exists to maximize the value of the BBC's assets for the benefit of the BBC, and invests in programming in return for rights. The Sales & Distribution business negotiates, sells and distributes television programs to networks and secures co-production partners, across the U.S. and Canada.