BYUtv Premieres "The Primrose Railway Children," Starring Kevin McKidd

Heartfelt adaptation of family classic in partnership with BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions

PROVO, Utah, Dec. 5, 2024 -- BYUtv - the home of free, inspiring family entertainment available over streaming, cable and satellite - today announced the premiere of "The Primrose Railway Children," featuring Kevin McKidd ("Grey's Anatomy"). The feature-length family drama is based on bestselling author Dame Jacqueline Wilson's novel of the same name, which is a modern reimagining of Edith Nesbit's 1905 classic "The Railway Children" and explores themes of resilience, forgiveness and self-discovery.

Filmed across picturesque locations in Scotland, it has been adapted for television by Emmy and BAFTA award-winning screenwriter Tom Bidwell. In the U.S., it will be available to stream for free on the BYUtv app and at BYUtv.org on Dec. 8, airing on BYUtv that evening at 6:15 pm PT/9:15 pm ET. Viewers in the UK can watch on BBC iPlayer, the CBBC children's channel and BBC One.

In "The Primrose Railway Children," young Phoebe and her siblings are abruptly uprooted from city life when their mother moves them to a remote Scottish village after their father (played by McKidd) goes missing. Adjusting to a world without modern conveniences and facing the mysterious absence of their father, Phoebe is determined to uncover the truth behind his disappearance. As the children navigate secrets and build new connections within their rural community, they come to appreciate the unity and strength family brings.

"'The Primrose Railway Children' is a gorgeous, heartwarming story that captured my attention and heart from the start," said McKidd. "I love the relationships that my character has with his children, especially Phoebe. They have a special bond that reinforces the idea that love and friendship can triumph even in difficult times. Plus, it's also nice to actually have something I can sit down with my family at Christmas and let them see what Dad does for a living!"

Set against the scenic Scottish landscape, complete with iconic steam railway sequences, this new adaptation of "The Railway Children" retains the spirit of the original story while bringing a fresh, contemporary perspective to the emotional journey of a family reconnecting amid unexpected challenges.

"'The Primrose Railway Children' is a moving take on a beloved classic that explores family dynamics and emotions in a modern setting," said Andra Johnson Duke, head of content at BYUtv. "Thanks to the talents of Kevin McKidd and the rest of the cast, viewers of all ages will be drawn into a visually rich adventure filled with hope, love and warmth. Purposeful, timeless storytelling like this underscores the beauty of human connection and resonates across generations."

In addition to McKidd as Rob, the cast includes Ava McCarthy ("Ballerina") as Phoebe, Ida Brooke ("Silo") as Becks, Tylan Bailey ("Halo") as Perry, Nina Toussaint-White ("Showtrial") as Sarah, Blythe Duff ("Taggart") as Mo and Ian Pirie ("Da Vinci's Demons") as Thomas.

"The Primrose Railway Children" is made by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions for the BBC in association with BYUtv with Tali Walters as creative lead, Alison Davis and Grainne McNamara as executive producers and John McKay as producer. For BYUtv, executive producers are Jeff Simpson and Andra Johnson Duke with Wendy Thomas and Kelly Pratt as producers. International distribution is being handled by BBC Studios.

BYUtv is available across the country via multiple digital media platforms, cable and satellite. For a complete listing of BYUtv's programming and to view full episodes, download the app or visit www.byutv.org. BYUtv streams for free with no subscriptions, in-app purchases or ads. The network is always streaming live, and past and current seasons are all available to binge.

About BYUtv

BYUtv provides families more than 2,000 hours of uplifting and compelling programming they can enjoy together. The Emmy-winning network's content is trusted, contemporary and clean, yet clever and sophisticated enough to inspire children and parents alike. BYUtv's diverse portfolio of original, co-produced and acquired content includes scripted and unscripted dramas and comedies, competition shows, concert specials and collegiate sports pregame and postgame coverage. BYUtv is available in approximately 40 million homes in every state of the country on DISH Network, DirecTV and more than 130 major cable systems. A digital pioneer, BYUtv was the first U.S. television network to stream all its content live and free of charge over the internet. Today, BYUtv has more than three million YouTube subscribers and three billion views and is available live and on-demand on multiple digital platforms at no cost, including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Vizio, Samsung, LG, Sony, Xfinity X1, Xbox, Windows, digital apps for iOS and Android, and BYUtv.org. Based in Provo, Utah, BYUtv is part of BYU Broadcasting, which is owned by Brigham Young University.