Move over Novak, Rafa and Serena Williams! Fifteen-Love on Prime Video is set to steal their thunder, but in a fictional way, as this new drama series is set in the world of Grand Slam tennis!
Fifteen-Love follows the ups and downs of Justine Pearce (Ella Lily Hyland) a dynamic teenage sports prodigy from Britain, who had a meteoric rise in the world of Grand Slam Tennis, guided by her maverick coach Glenn Lapthorn, played by Poldark and Leonardo star Aidan Turner.
From Wimbledon to the French Open, the story shows both the glories and traumas on the tennis circuit. Examining the intense physical and mental pressures of professional sport, Fifteen-Love is also a gripping but sensitive exploration of trust, power and obsession, and what can be lost when you’ll do anything to win…
Created by World Productions, the team behind Line of Duty and Vigil, the drama is written by Hania Elkington (The Innocents). So here's everything you need to know about Fifteen-Love coming to Prime Video...
Fifteen-Love release date
Fifteen-Love will be released in the UK and Ireland by Prime Video in 2023, followed by a worldwide launch. We expect it to be shown around the time of a Grand Slam tennis tournament, so it could be May (French Open), June (Wimbledon) or September (US Open). We'll of course update here as soon as an air date is announced.
What is the plot of Fifteen-Love?
Fifteen-Love follows the tennis journey of British star Justine Pearce (Ella Lily Hyland) an amazing sports prodigy, who's taken the world of Grand Slam Tennis by storm (Emma Raducanu anyone?). Glenn Lapthorn (Aidan Turner) was Justine’s maverick coach and the pair had an intense rapport. He helped 17-year-old Justine reach the French Open semi finals. Disaster soon struck, however, and Justine's dreams of actually winning a Grand Slam were dramatically and brutally cut short by a devastating injury... She shattered her wrist which looked set to end her professional tennis career.
Five years on, aged 22, Justine is a therapist at her old tennis academy, Longwood, alongside her former physio. She feels she is finally healed, both physically and psychologically, from her previous tennis scars. Then Justine makes an explosive allegation against her former coach, and everyone at Longwood is forced to reconsider everything they thought they knew about Justine and Glenn’s past success.
Justine and Glen’s battle over the truth about their pas as they both seek glory at the Grand Slam grass court event of the year Wimbledon, and the world of professional tennis is rocked by all sorts of lies, deceit, and control issues going on.
Fifteen-Love cast — Emma Lily Hyland on playing Justine Pearce
Playing tennis prodigy Justine Pearce in Fifteen-Love is Ella Lily Hyland, who previously starred as Mia in the Channel 5 drama Intruder.
Ella says: “When I read Fifteen-Love I was struck instantly by how important and unique the story felt. Hania’s writing is looking at the greyer areas in relationship and power dynamics. Justine is such a gorgeous, complicated character. I feel so lucky to be playing her and to be part of such a brave and bold team.”
Aidan Turner on playing tennis coach Glen Lapthorn
Aidan Turner is playing tennis coach Glen Lapthorn who initially helps Justine to success, but then series allegations arise..
says: “Hania’s scripts and characters are so incredibly layered and nuanced, tackling themes and issues within the world of sport that I don’t feel have been explored on screen before. I am excited to take on the complex role of Glenn and can’t wait to work with Ella, Hania, World Productions, Prime Video and the rest of the cast to bring this important story to life.”
Aidan Turner is of course known to many as Ross Poldark in BBC1's hit drama Poldark. He played a vampire in BBC3 hit Being Human and starred as Leonardo da Vinci in Prime Video's epic Leonardo. In 2023, Aidan is filming Rivals, the Jilly Cooper adaptation for Disney Plus.
Who else is starring in Fifteen-Love?
Also starring in Fifteen-Love are Anna Chancellor (The Crown), Elizabeth Berrington (The Nevers, Waterloo Road), Jessica Darrow (Encanto), Tom Varey (Ridley Road), Lorenzo Richelmy (Marco Polo), Manon Azem (Your Honour), Amar Chadha-Patel (Willow), Steffan Rhodri (House of the Dragon) plus newcomers Maria Margarida Almeida and Harmony Rose-Bremner.
Is there a trailer for Fifteen-Love?
There's no Fifteen-Love trailer available yet. We'll post it here as soon as it arrives as we want to see Aidan Turner and Ella Lily Hyland on court, playing tennis and showing us what Grand Slam tennis is really like.
Behind the scenes and more on Fifteen-Love
Fifteen-Love is produced by World Productions, part of ITV Studios, which also distributes the series internationally. It is written by Hania Elkington who also acts as executive producer, alongside Jake Lushington (Vigil, The Suspect) for World Productions and the series’ two directors Eva Riley (Perfect Ten) and Toby MacDonald (Ragdoll). The series is produced by Natasha Romaniuk (The Suspect, The Split). The series is currently filming and will launch on Prime Video in the UK & Ireland, next year. Further information will be released in due course.
Writer and creator of Fifteen-Love Hania Elkington says: “The voice of women in sport has never been heard as loudly and clearly as over the last two years. From Simone Biles to Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu to Pam Shriver, the pressures and realities of being at the top of your game on the world stage are finally breaking through to us, making us look again at the price our young prodigies can pay for the goals they work so hard to achieve. Writing this drama, and the people I’ve met through my deep-dive into researching it, has been revelatory. I hope that Fifteen-Love has the same effect on its audience, and can become another valuable part of this urgent, emerging story.”
