The Split creator on confidence behind new spin-off – and the importance of "investing in a new audience"

Having been one of BBC's most revered hit dramas, we're now getting an exciting new The Split spin-off in the form of The Split Up, which follows a whole cast of new characters, stories and gripping legal cases.

The Split series creator Abi Morgan has handed over the new show's reigns to Ursula Rani Sarma, with the new six-parter focusing on the family of the Kishans, who run an elite law firm in the centre of Manchester.

But how did Morgan know that The Split Up was the right direction in which to take her original series?

Chatting exclusively to Radio Times, Morgan explained: "The Split Up really has become its own thing. Ursula and I have talked about it a lot and I think she's really honoured that – experientially, she wants an audience to fall in love with the family and the way that I think people fell in love with the Defoes."

Morgan continued: "I'm really confident of that with the Kishans because I think so many of the elements that were there, that was started with The Split, are there. But what's really wonderful is it does take us into this new world practically, socially, culturally.

"For me it was just beautiful to see that world on screen, to see those people on screen. It's really exciting. It's really exciting to see the Southern Asian community in the majority, not in the minority, not in the background, at the forefront. And I think that's what was so exciting about when you say, what made you want to go with this version is that it was, in a really exciting way, opportunity.

"Not just in terms of going, 'Okay, you know, there's the legacy of The Split. How do we keep it going?' But actually genuinely wanting everything that Ursula and the great group of writers and the creative team brought to that in terms of investing in a new audience and bringing a new audience to The Split."

Morgan added: "I'm really hopeful and I'm really confident from seeing the the kind of detail and commitment to the way the creative team has worked on this led by Ursula. I'm really confident that they will feel like that. It’s a big warm hug of a show."

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The new series sees The Umbrella Academy's Ritu Arya and Unforgotten's Sanjeev Bhaskar take on the lead roles as daughter-father duo Aria and Dhruv Kishan, both incredibly successful lawyers who butt heads when Aria is set to take over the family firm – but Dhruv doesn't know if his daughter has what it takes.

Arya and Bhaskar are joined by Virdee's Aysha Kala, Film Club's Arian Nik and Dinosaur's Danny Ashok, as well as Dimitri Leonidas (Those About To Die), Mawaan Rizwan (Juice), Sindhu Vee (Matilda the Musical), Shalini Peiris (The White Lotus) and Tom Forbes (Queenie).

The synopsis for The Split Up is as follows: "Set in the charged world of Manchester’s high net worth divorce circuit, The SplitUp centres on Kishan Law – a powerhouse British-South Asian family firm, and the go-to for the city’s elite.

"The fast-rising star of Kishan Law is Aria Kishan (Arya), poised to step up and take the mantle from her father Dhruv (Bhaskar). However, the death of her mother has cast a new light over these plans for Dhruv, who has begun to wonder if his daughter can, or should, take on this responsibility single handedly."

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The Split Up will premiere on Sunday 20 and Monday 21 September at 9pm on BBC One.

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