The new six-part series will explore the early days of The Beatles
00:01, 08 May 2026Updated 06:42, 08 May 2026
The Beatles in Arnhem on August 15, 1960, en-route to Hamburg(Image: Keystone Features/Getty Images)
The BBC has announced the actors who will play the members of The Beatles in a new TV series called Hamburg Days. Filming has begun in Hamburg, Liverpool and Munich on the six-part series, which will tell the story of the band’s early days in Germany and will follow their transformation from a group of teenagers into the world’s biggest band.
It Is In Us All actor Rhys Mannion will star as singer and guitarist John Lennon, Ellis Murphy will play bassist and singer Sir Paul McCartney and Harvey Brett will play singer and guitarist George Harrison.
Rivals actor Louis Landau will play the band’s original bassist Stu Sutcliffe, while original drummer Pete Best will be played by Patrick Gilmore.
The series is based on the book of the same name by Beatles associates Klaus Voormann and Astrid Kirchherr.
Kirchherr will be played by Wild Republic actress Luna Jordan, while Voormann will be played by Casper Von Bulow, and Laura Tonke will play Kirchherr’s mother Nielsa.
Voormann, 87, who is also known for designing the cover for The Beatles’ 1966 album Revolver, will act as a consultant on the new series, which has been acquired by the BBC from UK-based independent film and television company Turbine Studios.
German musician Voormamn has a long-lasting working relationship with The Beatles, and played bass on many of their solo projects following their break-up in 1970.
Kirchherr died in 2020, having been remembered for the early pictures she took of The Beatles.
Director Christian Schwochow, who worked on Netflix’s hit series The Crown, is the showrunner of the series, and Bafta-winner David Holmes, who worked on Killing Eve and the Ocean’s franchise, will curate the music.
The series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer with an air date yet to be announced.
The Beatles, formed in 1960 and made up of Sir Paul, Lennon, Harrison, and Sir Ringo Starr from their debut album onwards, are the best-selling musical act of all time and one of the most influential groups in the world, having achieved 18 UK number one singles and 16 UK number one albums.
During their time in Hamburg, The Beatles performed at a number of venues in the city’s St Pauli district, most notably at the Star-Club.
Sue Deeks, head of scripted pre-buy acquisitions at the BBC, said: “Hamburg Days is the fascinating story of how, in the space of two short years, a raw young band from Liverpool honed their music skills in Hamburg, before returning home to become an overnight worldwide success.
“It is an incredible story, accompanied (of course) by an amazing soundtrack.”
Four films directed by Sir Sam Mendes about the band are also currently in the pipeline starring Paul Mescal as Sir Paul, Barry Keoghan as Sir Ringo, Harris Dickinson as Lennon and Joseph Quinn as Harrison.