4 hours ago
Russell T Davies’ New Thriller 'Tip Toe' Brings Queer Manchester Feud to the Forefront
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Channel 4 has released new details and first-look images for "Tip Toe", an upcoming five-part television drama written by Russell T Davies and set in Manchester’s Gay Village, with Alan Cumming leading the cast. The series, described as a suburban thriller, is scheduled to air on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom in 2026.
"Tip Toe" follows Leo, a bar owner on Manchester’s Canal Street, and his long-standing neighbour Clive, whose tense relationship becomes the centre of an increasingly dangerous conflict. Alan Cumming plays Leo, who runs a venue called the Spit & Polish in Manchester’s Gay Village, while David Morrissey portrays Clive, described as an unsmiling and troubled electrician and father of teenage sons. The two characters have lived next door to each other for nearly 15 years, but as wider social pressures intensify, their relationship deteriorates into a feud that threatens both households.
According to a synopsis released by Channel 4, the drama uses this escalating dispute to examine growing tensions in a community that has long been seen as a safer space for LGBTQ+ people. The storyline is framed as a thriller that “challenges what we consider to be safe” by bringing focus to prejudices that are “creeping back into our lives.”
The series is written by Russell T Davies, whose previous work includes "It’s a Sin" and the revival of "Doctor Who", and is produced by Quay Street Productions for Channel 4. Nicola Shindler serves as producer for Quay Street, with Phil Collinson as series producer and Peter Hoar as series director. Alan Cumming, Russell T Davies and Peter Hoar are executive producers on the project, continuing a collaboration that began with "It’s a Sin" for Channel 4.
Channel 4 has confirmed that the drama is being filmed entirely on location in Manchester, with production entering its final week at the time first-look images were released. Filming for the series began in September 2025. Quay Street Productions’ parent company ITV Studios is attached to distribute the series internationally.
The wider cast includes Elizabeth Berrington, Denise Welch and Pooky Quesnel, alongside additional ensemble performers who have not yet been fully profiled by Channel 4. Casting director Andy Pryor, who also worked on "It’s a Sin", is overseeing casting for the series, according to production details shared with industry press.
In a statement released through Channel 4, Russell T Davies said the team was in the “final days of filming” and expressed enthusiasm for audiences to see the work in 2026, describing the performances as among the finest he has witnessed from the assembled cast.
Set within Manchester’s Gay Village, "Tip Toe" arrives in a media landscape where British broadcasters have increased focus on LGBTQ+ stories that address both community resilience and contemporary hostility. The choice to centre the narrative on a queer bar and its owner reflects the historic and ongoing role of such venues as spaces of connection and safety for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people.
By explicitly highlighting prejudice as a central theme, the series aligns with recent work by Russell T Davies that integrates LGBTQ+ experiences into broader social storytelling, as seen in "It’s a Sin", which depicted the HIV/AIDS crisis and its impact on queer communities in 1980s London. While "Tip Toe" has been described primarily as a thriller rather than a historical drama, Channel 4’s synopsis indicates that it will address the ways in which discrimination and hostility continue to affect LGBTQ+ people in contemporary Britain.
LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations have consistently documented concerns about rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the United Kingdom, including targeting of transgender people and queer venues, making the show’s focus on a “safe” space under threat timely for many viewers. Although "Tip Toe" is a work of fiction, it is positioned within an environment where media representation is seen by advocacy groups as an important tool for countering stigma and affirming the diversity of LGBTQ+ lives.
With its established creative team, high-profile cast and explicit engagement with themes of safety, prejudice and community, "Tip Toe" is set to join a growing slate of British dramas that place LGBTQ+ experiences at the centre of mainstream storytelling.
