Launch for new BBC school drama set in Coventry

The show is called Phoenix Rise as it features children given a chance to rise from the ashes

A new BBC school drama, filmed and set in Coventry, has been launched at a real-life school in the city.

Phoenix Rise is a 10-part series which follows a group of teens taking their first steps back into mainstream education after being excluded.

Co-creator Perrie Balthazar said it was important for young people to see themselves represented on screen.

Her screen-writing partner Matt Evans said they chose Coventry because "it's a city we knew really well".

Both of them are from the Midlands and Mr Evans said: "This show is about resilience, triumphing over adversity, and it just felt like nothing encapsulates that better than Coventry."

Most of the cast are from the region and the producers held auditions in Coventry, where they they met hundreds of young people and chose some who had never acted before.

"I think the natural character of a lot of our actors definitely gives us a buzz and an energy," Ms Balthazar said.

Perrie Balthazar and Matt Evans both said they loved Coventry and knew the city well

Mr Evans said when writing the series they "wanted to focus on kids who had fallen through the cracks in the system, who were given one last chance to make a success of their time at school".

Actor Jayden Hanley, who plays Darcy in the series, said: "The show's about giving a voice to those who aren't heard, it's about showing diversity and second chances.

"I think school can be quite a daunting place for a lot of people and I think that this shows them that sanctuary can be found in school."

Actor Jayden Hanley said the show was about "diversity and second chances"

Ms Balthazar and Mr Evans have worked on school dramas before, but wanted to find a different approach and decided to look at a new school through the eyes of excluded children, who are outsiders.

They said they grew up watching Grange Hill, but Ms Balthazar said "although we had that 20, 30, years ago, I'm not sure that's happened so much in between for young people from all backgrounds, especially working class kids."

Phoenix Rise is available on BBC iPlayer from 21 March and the first episode will be shown on BBC Three at 19:00 on 24 March.