Richard Gadd’s forthcoming BBC/HBO drama Half Man has landed early international buyers at MIPCOM, with Australia’s Stan and Canada’s Crave taking the series as distributor Banijay Rights closed new territory deals in Cannes. The six-part drama, created by and starring Gadd alongside Jamie Bell, is set to debut in 2026 and charts the volatile bond between “brothers” Ruben and Niall across four decades. Banijay said the Stan and Crave agreements follow previously announced HBO Max placements in Latin America and across parts of Europe.
Market materials position Half Man as a decades-spanning character piece that begins when Ruben unexpectedly appears at Niall’s wedding, sparking a confrontation that triggers a look back at their shared history. First-look releases confirmed the 6×45 format, Glasgow-area shoot, and a cast that includes younger incarnations of the leads played by Stuart Campbell and Mitchell Robertson, with direction by Alexandra Brodski and Eshref Reybrouck. The project is produced by Banijay-owned Mam Tor Productions for the BBC and HBO, with Screen Scotland support.
Momentum for Half Man has been building since the series was unveiled as Gadd’s first major scripted project after Baby Reindeer, aided by a coordinated roll-out of images and sales updates timed to autumn markets. Industry coverage from Cannes framed the Stan and Crave deals as the first wave of wider distribution activity, with Banijay Rights citing “early demand” among buyers looking for authored, premium drama that can travel beyond the UK–US co-production footprint.
The series joins HBO and the BBC’s 2026 pipeline, with platform messaging emphasizing a global Max window and a domestic UK launch across BBC One, BBC Scotland, and iPlayer. Credits list Gadd as creator, writer and executive producer, with executive production by Sophie Gardiner and Anna O’Malley at Mam Tor and commissioning from the BBC’s drama team. Beyond headline casting, ensemble additions include Neve McIntosh and Marianne McIvor, rounding out a family-focused narrative that tracks identity, loyalty, and fracture across changing social backdrops.
