A new six-part BBC Radio 4 drama series, Good People, draws inspiration from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Written by Professor Steve Waters of the University of East Anglia, the series explores political and social changes in a fictional town. It begins broadcasting on February 12 and is available on BBC Sounds.
Professor Steve Waters from the University of East Anglia's School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing has created Good People, a weekly BBC Radio 4 series that airs starting February 12. The drama is based on 18 months of research conducted in Great Yarmouth, a town in Norfolk, to capture local frustrations and the rise of populist sentiments.
Set in the fictional town of Branwich, the story follows a group of progressive friends and a think tank working to revive their community amid political and social shifts. Waters explained his approach: "In the series, I track the fortunes of a group of progressive friends and what happens when their hopes meet reality."
The narrative addresses broader tensions, including political divides and cultural anxieties. Waters noted, "While Branwich, the town at the centre of the drama, isn't real, I gained a great deal of inspiration from talking to people in Great Yarmouth, trying to get a deeper sense of the frustrations and rage which are driving populist currents in this country."
He hopes the series offers listeners insight into these issues alongside the excitement of a political thriller. Waters has a background in scriptwriting for film, television, and theatre. In 2020, he received a silver award in the Best Fiction category at the British Podcast Awards for another BBC series, Fall of the Shah.
The production highlights ongoing themes in Waters' work, focusing on political and social dynamics without delving into real-world specifics beyond the inspirational research in Great Yarmouth.