Brassic

The eagerly anticipated fifth season of Brassic is finally here! And this series is set to be every bit as chaotic as what has come before.

We don’t want to give too much away, but amongst the capers taking place are a catastrophe involving an old land mine; a trip to Blackpool complete with a heist at the pier amusements; a serious rat problem in Farmer Jim’s attic; and an escapade involving a giant bunny.

According to the Urban Dictionary, being Brassic is to be “broke, penniless, without means, or on the bones of yer arse.” Fitting for a series about a close-knit group of chancers that fall into the category of “Blair’s Forgotten Youth.”

Despite being slang from the north, the origins of the term are actually found (probably to the disgust of the Brassic gang) in The Big Smoke. That’s right – it’s good old Cockney Rhyming Slang, guv.

It comes from a shortened version of the term “boracic lint”, which by the rhyming law of the East End equates to “skint”. To field just two of the many questions you might have, boracic lint is a type of medicinal dressing, and the word “boracic” is actually pronounced “brassic”.

All clear? No? Brassic means skint. Just roll with it.

It’s true – the Brassic gang are gearing up for a Christmas caper to see 2023 out with a bang. While details of their festive chicanery are yet to be unwrapped, it has been confirmed that they will be getting a new member in the form of the BAFTA-winning Imelda Staunton (The Crown, The Harry Potter Franchise, Vera Drake).

Asked about how excited he is to be doing a Brassic Christmas episode, Tom Hanson (Cardi) has said “How good is that? I'm just imagining what these guys will do to rob for presents! I’m thinking Bad Santa and The Grinch rolled into one!” while Aaron Heffern (Ash) – still none the wise as to what antics the special will entail – predicts “I'm presuming someone will be having to either steal or hijack some large amount of presents to donate to some crowd of underprivileged people. Like in true Vinnie, Robin Hood fashion, I'm sure there's some thievery going on for the greater good. I presume someone will end up dressed as Santa Claus. I'm going to say it's probably going to be Tommo and there'll be various elf jokes made.”

Brassic is written by co-creator BAFTA and RTS winner Danny Brocklehurst, whose other credits include Shameless, Clocking Off and recently Ten Pound Poms. However, the antics of the series are heavily based on the real-life experiences of Brassic’s star and fellow co-creator Joe Gilgun.

“When I came on board there was a lot of great ideas, but Joe isn’t a TV writer.” Danny explains. “Together with his friend Dave, they had these amazing ideas but it took the three of us to really focus it into a TV series, and go, ‘This is what it needs to be’. I could not have done Brassic without Joe giving me some of these absolutely bonkers things that him and his mates got up to in his past. […] It reminded me of Shameless, you can have that fun in a social setting, a slightly heightened realism to it that lifts it out of being despairing into something more hopeful and amusing.”

Brassic has been a smash hit for Sky, with the second season breaking the record for the most rapidly binged show in the broadcaster’s history. Here are some lovely things people have said about it:

“It is a hilarious, warm, brutal melange that works because it has heart without sentimentality and authenticity without strain.” – Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Brassic... is a tsunami of filth.” – David Sexton, London Evening Standard

“Joseph Gilgun is wonderfully expressive as Vinnie, his volatile features continually scrunching together and apart like the top of a drawstring bag.” – Suzi Feay, Financial Times

“There was palpable affection for its characters born of lived experience, and a consistent effort to portray their lives and worldviews honestly, however ludicrous the scrapes in which they found themselves.” – Gabriel Tate, The Telegraph

“No matter how contrived, these schemes turn out to be a hoot, Ocean’s Eleven crossed with Shameless, never lacking a snappy quip.” – Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian

“will […] have you in stitches from the word go” – Cydney Yeates, Metro