The Syndicate


The Syndicate is a British television drama series. It was written by Kay Mellor and is broadcast on BBC One. It sees five members of a betting syndicate win the lottery. Each series follows a different syndicate. The first series is set in a Leeds supermarket; the second, a public hospital in Bradford; the third, a crumbling stately home near Scarborough; and the fourth is set between a dog kennel in Yorkshire and Monaco.
The theme tune for the first two series of the show is "All or Nothing", by the Small Faces. For the third series, a cover version of the same song performed by Scars on 45 was used. The score is composed by guitarist Hal Lindes from Dire Straits. The theme tune for Season four of the show is a cover of "The Gambler" performed by David Nowakowski featuring Rising Fever. Series 4 premiered on BBC One on 30 March 2021.
The series was remade in America as Lucky 7 for ABC and ran for only one series.

Cast

  • Lorraine Bruce as Denise Simpson is the only cast member to appear in every series. In series 1 she won the lottery; her character was reprised as the Lottery Winners Adviser in all subsequent series. Lorraine was also invited to play Denise in the USA version of the show. In "Lucky 7" Denise Simpson becomes Denise Dibinksy, a native of Queens, New York.

    Series 1

  • Timothy Spall as Bob Davies
  • Lorraine Bruce as Denise Simpson
  • Matthew Lewis as Jamie Bradley
  • Joanna Page as Leanne Powell
  • Matthew McNulty as Stuart Bradley
  • Amy Beth Hayes as Amy Cartwright
  • John Paul Hurley as DCI Newell
  • Katherine Dow Blyton as Annie Davies
  • Kai Owen as Gareth Powell
  • Anthony Lewis as Peter Davies
  • Clare Higgins as Joyce Bradley
  • Lily Pickering as Stacey Powell

    Series 2

  • Siobhan Finneran as Mandy Atkinson
  • Alison Steadman as Rose Wilson
  • Mark Addy as Alan Walters
  • Natalie Gavin as Becky Atkinson
  • Jimi Mistry as Tom Bedford
  • Steven Waddington as Steve Atkinson
  • Roma Christensen as Reah Atkinson
  • Sally Rogers as Helen Dolan
  • Karl Davies as Luke Summers

    Series 3

  • Elizabeth Berrington as Dawn Stevenson
  • Melanie Hill as Julie Travers
  • Lenny Henry as Godfrey Watson
  • Cara Theobold as Sarah Travers
  • Richard Rankin as Sean McGary/McAdams
  • Anthony Andrews as Lord Hazelwood
  • Alice Krige as Lady Hazelwood
  • Sam Phillips as Spencer Cavendish
  • Daisy Head as Amy Stevenson
  • Kieran O'Brien as Andy Stevenson
  • Polly Walker as DI Lynn Baker
  • Rob Kendrick as Nick Harrison
  • Elaine C. Smith as Valerie Hardcastle
  • Poppy Lee Friar as Mary Campbell

    Series 4

  • Katherine Rose Morley as Keeley Sanderson
  • Taj Atwal as Roxy Varma
  • Liberty Hobbs as Gemma Hepworth
  • Kieran Urquhart as Jake Thackery
  • Kym Marsh as Donna Sanderson
  • Ruben Reuter as Shane Sanderson
  • Mark Benton as Graham Woods
  • Emily Head as Colette Andrews
  • Neil Morrissey as Frank Stevenson
  • Gaynor Faye as Cheryl Armitage
  • Rita May as Nanna
  • Joe Sugg as Sam
  • Katie McGlynn as Georgina Clarke

    Episodes

Series overview

Series 1 (2012)

In the first series the syndicate consists of workmates in a small local supermarket located in Leeds, Yorkshire. It was written by Kay Mellor. Series 1 began on BBC One on 27 March 2012 and consisted of 5 episodes.

Series 2 (2013)

The second series aired in 2013 on BBC One. It revolves around another syndicate in a similar situation. It was written by Kay Mellor. The series looks at a syndicate involving workers at a public hospital in Bradford, Yorkshire. Series 2 began on BBC One on 19 March 2013 and consisted of 6 episodes.

Series 3 (2015)

BBC One renewed The Syndicate for a third series of six episodes, and the first episode was broadcast on 2 June 2015. This series was filmed in Yorkshire in 2014. The BBC announced the details of the third series of the programme on 21 October 2014. Actor/comedian Lenny Henry stars in the series, which chronicles the lottery win of a staff syndicate at a crumbling stately home. Lynda Bellingham was due to play the role of a solicitor, in a role written especially for her by Kay Mellor, but she died shortly before filming commenced.

Series 4 (2021)

The fourth series began airing on 30 March on BBC One.

American adaptation

On 1 February 2013, it was announced that ABC had ordered a pilot for a US remake. It was renamed Lucky 7 and written by David Zabel and Jason Richman. Lucky 7 was cancelled on 4 October 2013 after only two episodes were broadcast, due to extremely low ratings.