Written by Shona Smith on May 19, 2021. Posted in Production News

 Noughts + Crosses series two to begin South Africa filming in June

Produced by Mammoth Screen for the BBC, the second series of Noughts + Crosses will consist of four 60-minute episodes. Filming begins in South Africa in June, where the first series shot in 2018.

The series is speculative fiction describing an alternative history in which native African people had colonised the European people, rather than the other way around, with Africans having made Europeans their slaves. The second season picks up where the first left off, delving viewers back in to the dangerous world of Noughts + Crosses with a forbidden love story at its heart. Jack Rowan (Peaky Blinders, Beowulf ) and Masali Baduza (Trackers, Bhai's Cafe), pictured above, return as Callum and Sephy who are desperately attempting to flee Albion in search of a new life, while the city they leave behind reels from the events of series one.

Paterson Joseph (Rellik), Helen Baxendale (Death in Paradise), Bonnie Mbuli (Invictus), Jonathan Ajayi (Wonder Woman 1984), Josh Dylan (Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again!) and Kiké Brimah (Love Type D) will all reprise their roles from the first series. Joining Noughts + Crosses for series two will be Jasmine Jobson (Top Boy, Surge) as Cara, an enigmatic new figure in Jude’s life, and Robert Hands (Endeavour, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell) as Clem.

Malorie Blackman, creator and writer of Noughts + Crosses book series said shooting in South Africa gave the first series "an African sensibility in a way that would have been harder to achieve had it been entirely filmed in this country. It gives an African vibe to it and you can absolutely believe that Albion has been colonised by Africa. It lends itself incredibly well to creating the whole look and feel of the series.”

On announcement of the second series, she says “I am delighted that Noughts + Crosses is returning for a second series. So many people have asked me, ’So what happens next?’. Now they will find out! Having read the scripts, I think I can safely say that even those familiar with the Noughts + Crosses series of books will find surprises, suspense and so much to savour.”

Preethi Mavahalli and James Gandhi, Executive Producers for Mammoth Screen add, “we are delighted to be able to reunite our passionate and loyal cast and crew, led by writer Lydia Adetunji and director Koby Adom, for a second series. It is a privilege to revisit Malorie's much-loved characters and bring Callum and Sephy's iconic love story to its epic conclusion.”

UK television productions shooting in South Africa benefit from a 35% rebate on the first ZAR6 on qualified production expenditure thanks to the UK and South Africa’s co-production agreement signed in 2016. After the first ZAR6 million, the rebate reduces to 25%. To qualify, at least fifty percent of the schedule must be undertaken in South Africa, and a minimum of fourteen days must be filmed in South Africa. Minimum budgets require to access the incentive stands at ZAR2.5 million. Since the co-production agreement came into place, series eleven of BBC One’s Doctor Who shot on location in South Africa, as did Neil Gailman’s Good Omens

International projects that film in South Africa without a co-production agreement can access a 20% Cash Rebate system applies to productions that shoot more than twenty-eight days in South Africa, shoot 50% of the schedule is shot in the country and spends at least ZAR12 million. The country also offers a 22.5 – 25% post production rebate.

Image Credits: BBC/Mammoth/Ilze Kitshoff

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