It’s a Sin Trivia | 30 facts about the series

“It’s a Sin” is an interesting TV series aired on HBO Max,that addresses issues about the HIV virus, as well as problems about the LGBTQ+ community.

Let’s find out more about it!

1. It’s a Sin is a British television drama miniseries.
2. It was written and created by Russell T Davies .
3. It was developed by Red Production Company.
4. The five-part series is set from 1981 to 1991 in London.
5. It depicts the lives of a group of gay men and their friends who lived during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the United Kingdom.
6. It’s a Sin features a main cast consisting of Olly Alexander as Ritchie Tozer, Omari Douglas as Roscoe Babatunde and Callum Scott Howells as Colin Morris-Jones, who all move to London.
7. Lydia West, Nathaniel Curtis and David Carlyle play the characters of Jill Baxter, Ash Mukherjee and Gregory Finch respectively.
8. Together they form the ensemble which the show focuses on most.
9. Other actors cast were Keeley Hawes, Shaun Dooley, Tracy Ann Oberman, Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Fry.
10. It premiered in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 on 22 January 2021.
11. The show’s subject matter of HIV and AIDS was difficult to sell to broadcasters.
12. It aired on HBO Max on the 18th of February.
13. BBC One and ITV declined to develop the series.
14. Channel 4 only took it on after their commissioning editor of drama, Lee Mason fought for it.
15. The show was then shortened from eight planned episodes to five.
16. The principal photography commenced in Manchester on 7 October 2019.
17. Despite its London setting, It’s a Sin was filmed mainly in Manchester.
18. Also, other locations used in Liverpool, Bolton, Eccles, Bangor and Rhos-on-Sea.
19. The series was executive produced by Davies and Nicola Shindler.
20. Phil Collinson was hired as the show’s producer and Peter Hoar as a director.
21. The show received critical acclaim for its emotional scenes, writing and depiction of AIDS.
22. The cast performances were also met with widely positive reviews.
23. All episodes were released to the broadcaster’s online streaming service All 4.
24. After a few weeks, it was viewed in its entirety more than 6.5 million times, making it the most binge-watched show to stream on the platform.
25. The first episode also became Channel 4’s biggest drama launch.
26. The show was also credited for creating an upsurge in HIV testing.
27. Jill Baxter – played by Lydia West – is one of It’s A Sin’s pivotal characters, and she’s actually based on one of Russel’s friends, Jill Nader.
28. Jill (the real one) lost many friends to AIDS during the 1980s, with three being very close to her.
29. Jill Nader is also an actress, even making a cameo in the series as Jill Baxter’s mother, Christine Baxter.
30. The Pink Palace was a real place
31. Jill Nader revealed that she lived in a Hampstead Heath flat with some friends, and they called it The Pink Palace.
32. The hit show is named after Pet Shop Boys’ song of the same name!
33. The series’ original title was “Boys” but it was changed to avoid confusion with The Boys (2019).
34. HBO agreed to pick up the show for broadcast in America if the production cast a well known American actor.
35. This led to Neil Patrick Harris being cast in episode 1.
36. A theatrical “La!” was a common callout amongst the friends.
37. There is a subtle tribute to the actor Ian Charleson, who starred as Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire(1981).
38. Charleson died of AIDS on January 6, 1990 at the age of 40.
39. A theatre poster from the 1982 West End cast of “Guys and Dolls” in which Charleson starred as Sky Masterson is seen hanging on the wall of a flat.
40. The series’ creator Russell T. Davies made a point of casting all the gay roles in the show with real gay actors. He has made it clear on many occasions he doesn’t believe straight actors should play gay characters.