Apple TV has announced “The Choir”, a new eight-episode comedic drama from Ruth Jones and James Corden, who write, star and serve as executive producers. It is the pair’s first project together since the record-breaking “Gavin & Stacey: The Finale”.
The series follows estranged siblings Ben (Corden) and Lisa (Jones). Ben has been living abroad while Lisa stayed in their small English town, and when he is forced to return home, a struggling local choir becomes the unlikely route to repairing their relationship. Apple describes the show as being about “family, friendship, love and music.”
Cast and crew
The ensemble cast includes BAFTA winner Tom Davis, Rosie Sheehy, Susan Brown, BAFTA winner Jason Watkins, David Harewood, Alexandria Riley and Sylvestra Le Touzel, among others. Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham, best known to Apple TV viewers from “Ted Lasso”, BAFTA winner James McAvoy and Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent appear in guest roles.
The series is produced for Apple TV by Various Artists Limited and TidyTwo, with Phil Clarke and Jack Bayles joining Jones and Corden as executive producers. BAFTA nominees Jennifer Sheridan and Jim Archer direct.
“The Choir” is now in production and will premiere globally on Apple TV in 2027.
Why it matters
In our view, this is one of Apple TV’s clearest bids yet for a broad, mainstream audience in the UK. Most of the service’s biggest titles, such as “Severance” and “The Studio”, are prestige or high-concept productions. “The Choir” instead brings back a writing partnership with a huge domestic following and a warm, character-led formula, with Waddingham’s guest role as a familiar link for existing subscribers. The long lead time to a 2027 premiere also means it will not help Apple’s line-up for some time.