Production company A24 are working on a project to bring to life the Scotsman's time at the helm of Liverpool
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Bill Shankly
A multi-episode drama series depicting Bill Shankly’s time at Liverpool and the impact he had on the city is in the works. The Reds and award-winning studio A24 are producing the TV series, in association with the studio behind the hugely popular ‘Drive to Survive’ Formula One series, Box To Box, with the production to be filmed in Liverpool and at Anfield, and with the Shankly’s granddaughter, Karen Gill, advising on the project.
As a football club, the Reds and Gill will act in an advisory capacity to A24 to ensure the historical accuracy of the series, which will be set against the backdrop of 1960s Liverpool and how the legendary Scotsman transformed a struggling team and and took it to the pinnacle of English and European football, building the foundations for the club to become a global powerhouse in the modern day.
Shankly was Liverpool boss from 1959 to 1974, arriving from Huddersfield Town. He took the Reds from the old Second Division to three First Division titles, two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest-ever football managers.
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His successors, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, were able to build on the winning culture he created, winning seven league titles and four European Cups in the ten seasons after Shankly retired.
Speaking about the project, Gill, said: “I think it’s a wonderful way to share the story of my grandad’s time at LFC.
“Anybody who knows anything about the club knows what it meant to Bill Shankly. This is going to be a must watch for all Liverpool fans and it’s a privilege to have the chance now to showcase his story to the wider world. I'm looking forward to seeing how this project unfolds and being a part of it.”
Award-winning playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne, whose previous work includes Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Enola Holmes and Help, is attached to write the series.
Said Thorne: “I'm excited to be telling this incredible story and it's an honour to be working alongside A24 and Liverpool Football Club. Our goal is to focus not just on the club, but on the city itself — because, and this is one thing Bill Shankly made sure, the club belongs to the city and the city belongs to the club.
“We have a chance with this show to celebrate both a magnificent football club and a magnificent city, whilst being honest about the struggles of the 1960s and 1970s in one of our industrial heartlands. We hope to honour the fans, the city, and the legacy of Liverpool FC in bringing its story to life.”
A Netflix documentary charting Jurgen Klopp’s final six months in charge of the Reds is also set to hit screens in 2025, with Liverpool set to benefit from two significant and compelling stories that will be available globally at a time when the club continues to strive to grow its fan base around the world and connect it to the club’s rich stories, both past and present.