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Entertainment
Nicholas Cannon

Rain Dogs: release date, cast, plot, trailer, interviews and all about the dark comedy by the Killing Eve team

Costello Jones (Daisy May Cooper) and Iris (Fleur Tashjain) posed in a back alley for Rain Dogs

Rain Dogs stars Daisy May Cooper, Jack Farthing, Ade Edmondson and Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo and is a new comedy coming to BBC1 and HBO about a single mum fighting for a better life for her child. Daisy plays Costello Jones, a writer and single mother who's described as having a ‘rock and roll swagger’.

The series is made by Sid Gentle Film Ltd, the company behind Killing Eve, so you can expect lots of dark comedy and biting wit. Poldark star Jack Farthing has been cast as Costello’s posh friend Selby, with whom she shares a deep-rooted love/hate relationship, while Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo will star as Gloria, godmother to Costello’s daughter Iris, who is fast running out of chances. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Rain Dogs on HBO and BBC One…

Rain Dogs fun with Jack Farthing as Selby and Daisy May Cooper as Costello at the bottom of the stars. (Image credit: BBC/HBO)

Rain Dogs release date

Rain Dogs is an eight-part series that launches on BBC1 the UK on Tuesday April 4 at 10.40pm. The show previously premiered on HBO in the US on March 6 2023.

Is there a trailer for Rain Dogs? 

Yes there's are a couple of trailers out now for Rain Dogs from both the BBC and HBO which shows Daisy May Cooper in action as Costello. Do take a look at both below...

Rain Dogs plot 

In Rain Dogs, Costello Jones (Daisy May Cooper) loves the lower-class lifestyle she was born into but wants better for her young daughter Iris (played by newcomer Fleur Tashjian). However, while Iris adores her mum, she’s fast turning into a hustler in the making. But when Costello and Iris are evicted from their flat after getting into arrears, they are confronted with some challenging situations.

Among Costello’s eclectic and equally troubled group of pals are wild child undertaker and Iris’s frenzied godmother Gloria (Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo) and ailing artist Lenny (Adrian Edmondson). Meanwhile, Costello also struggles to cut ties with her loose cannon, upper-class gay best friend Selby (Poldark’s Jack Farthing), who has recently been released from prison and tries to provide her with support, but also leaves turmoil in his wake.

It's a tale of deep-rooted love, makeshift families, passionate friendships, complicated love and ‘brilliance thwarted by poverty and prejudice’. 

Rain Dogs star Daisy May Cooper as single mum Costello Jones. (Image credit: BBC/HBO)
Costello Jones (Daisy May Cooper) isn't finding single life at all easy. (Image credit: BBC/Sid Gentle Films/HBO/James Pardon)

Rain Dogs cast — Daisy May Cooper on playing Costello Jones 

Rain Dogs lead actor Daisy May Cooper is playing single mum Costello Jones who has an intense love for her daughter Iris. 

"Costello is desperately trying to be a good mum, set a good example and pursue a career. But it's hard, she's dealing with demons and alcohol addiction. She’s a trier, but she doesn’t always make the right decisions," Daisy May Cooper told WhattoWatch.com. "At the start, she is trying to put a roof over their heads but she runs out of options. It's stressful and moving because there’s this child she’s got to protect.

"It’s a gritty, unconventional love story and you'll be taken on an emotional journey. There’s a lot in the script that resonated with me due to my background. You see how hard it is when you don’t have any money – money doesn’t bring you happiness, but it brings you options."

* Daisy May Cooper shot to fame as Kerry Mucklowe in the BBC comedy This Country which she starred in and co-wrote with her brother Charlie Cooper. She went on on to star in Am I Being Unreasonable?, The Witchfinder and Avenue 5. She is also a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and has appeared on panel shows such as Taskmaster and 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown as well as Celebrity Gogglebox.

Rain Dogs on BBC1 and HBO is a fun comedy with Daisy May Cooper as single mum Costello Jones. (Image credit: BBC/HBO)
Daisy May Cooper with Tim Key in BBC comedy the Witchfinder. (Image credit: BBC)

Jack Farthing on playing Selby

In Rain Dogs, Jack Farthing is playing Costello’s well-educated but deeply flawed soulmate Selby. 

"Violence is one of the ways in which Selby communicates when he can't express himself," Jack Farthing told WhattoWatch.com. 

"He's a boarding school boy who’s had money and opportunities but no love, support or emotional education, so he's completely lost. He and Costello are both smart and a match for each other and they're damaged. But Costello really means something to him and Iris is also this pure thing in his life that he is desperate to hang on to. He needs them both violently."

"It’s a love story about people who fall through the cracks in society. Cash is so articulate about her experience," says Farthing. "It felt very confrontational and new, it destroys stereotypes. It feels like it's about the breadth of experience. You think you know what living below the poverty line is, but maybe you don't."

Jack Farthing is best known for playing evil George Warleggan in Poldark, plus recent BBC One drama Chloe, Netflix movie The Lost Daughter and royal film Spencer. He also played John Lennon in ITV's mini-series Cilla

Jack Farthing as naughty posh boy Selby in Rain Dogs (Image credit: BBC/Sid Gentle/HBO)
Jack Farthing, who plays Selby in Rain Dogs, here as George Warleggan in Poldark. (Image credit: BBC)

Who else is starring in Rain Dogs

Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, who plays Costello's undertaker friend Gloria, has been in Alex Rider, Chevalier and Soulmates

Newcomer Fleur Tashjian takes on the role of Iris, while Ade Edmondson, former regular in EastEnders and The Young Ones, also stars as Costello's ailing artist friend Lenny. Emily Fairn and Joshua Parris round out the remaining cast.

Ronke Adekoluejo as Gloria in Rain Dogs. (Image credit: BBC/HBO)

Behind the scenes and more on Rain Dogs

Rain Dogs is currently filming in Bristol in south west England. It is created by Sid Gentle Films who were behind the highly successful drama Killing Eve.

Sally Woodward Gentle, Executive Producer Sid Gentle Films, says: “We are so delighted to be working with the extraordinarily talented Cash on this highly original tale of friendship, love and creativity. It’s thrilling to be working with Daisy, Jack, Ronkẹ and Fleur. Our four remarkable Rain Dogs.”

Jo McClellan, Commissioning Editor, BBC Drama says: “We’re incredibly excited to be starting production on Rain Dogs, with our fabulous cast and our partners HBO, and we can’t wait for Cash’s bold and unique voice to arrive on screen.”

Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming, says: “Along with the BBC and Sid Gentle Films, we are thrilled to be collaborating with Cash Carraway, Daisy May Cooper and everyone involved in this series about intense friendship, intense circumstances, and the intense love of a mother for her daughter.”

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