BBC picks up series about The Beatles’ Hamburg days

Black and white photo of The Beatles (Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, George Harrison) sitting, smiling in suits.
The Beatles, from left, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison, are seen in an undated black and white portrait.

As if four upcoming Beatles biopics aren’t enough, the BBC is ready to give fans more.

The network has picked up a new drama series, Hamburg Days, which will focus on The Beatles’ early days as a band. The six-part series, based on the autobiography by German artist and musician Klaus Voormann, is set in the ’60s when Voormann and photographer Astrid Kirchherr meet a young Liverpool rock band, who are playing in the clubs of Hamburg’s St. Pauli’s red-light district.

“Together, they help spark a transformation that turns a scrappy group of teenagers into the greatest music phenomenon the world has ever known: The Beatles,” reads the series description.

“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,” says Sue Deeks, head of scripted pre-buy acquisitions at the BBC. “It is an incredible story, accompanied (of course) by an amazing soundtrack!”

Voormann will serve as a consultant on the series. Casting on the project has not yet been announced.

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