Phoenix Rise: Coventry teens' authentic voices' help success of BBC drama

Jo Kerr (left), pictured with some of the cast, organised the collaboration between the school and production team

Teenagers added their "authentic voices" to contribute to the success of a BBC drama set at a city high school, a show insider has said.

Set in Coventry, Phoenix Rise tells the story of students returning to learning after exclusion.

Pupils from Finham Park 2 in the city helped in the production with some acting as paid extras.

The drama has been commissioned for a third and fourth series, the BBC has announced.

Jo Kerr, a librarian and community champion who co-ordinated the collaboration, said the extras work had helped some children pay bills and feed their families.

"Some of the pupils come from households where there isn't necessarily a regular income, and so they were able to put food on the table for the first time," she said.

"One pupil told me she had been to Tesco and was able to buy a donut for the first time ever, and that just made me really sad but happy at the same time."

Coventry schoolchildren worked as extras alongside professional actors

The school, which also helped with research for the scriptwriters and production crew will be involved in the next two series, she explained.

Pupils had taken part during some school hours, with others working through the summer holidays.

"The experience completely changed their mindset about how they view the world of work," said Ms Kerr.

At the end of the first series production in 2022 a quantity of clothes and goods was also donated to the school, "meaning our drama costume department is amazing now," she said.

Donations had also been passed to other schools, local charities and families in need.

Series one of the show is available to watch on BBC iPlayer

A red carpet premier of the first series had also been held at the school.

"Year 10 students who do food and nutrition spent two days preparing the canapes for that and the head of history and the head of languages ran the bar."

"Having the BBC come to Tile Hill and offering these opportunities to local children has been brilliant," she said.

"What's made the show so successful is that it's authentic voices of Coventry," she added.

The second series will be available to view on BBC iPlayer later this year.