East is East - Knowledge Network

Party Animals
Fridays at 10pm, beginning September 30
Repeats at 2am
Like most twenty-somethings, Scott, Danny, Ashika and Kirsty
spend much of their day worrying about love, sex, friendship and
paying the rent. Unlike most twenty-somethings, the rest of the
time they’re worrying about running the country... This new BBC
drama series presents Westminster from the ground up – the
young researchers and advisors shouldering huge responsibility in
a frantic, high-stakes world. It’s no wonder their personal lives are
so messy.
Meet the characters
Scott and Danny: (top photo) Sons of an ex-Labour MP, they have
politics in their blood. Lobbyist Scott is addicted to the adrenaline
of his job and lifestyle. Researcher Danny takes a quieter
approach, but despite his sharp intellect, he’s about to make a
mighty blunder.
Ashika: (centre photo, right) Ambitious and confident, Conservative
party member Ashika thinks she has everything – her career,
her love life – under control. But then she meets Scott…
Kirsty: (bottom photo, right) Labour researcher Kirsty will do
anything to get to the top. But is she ready to deal with the
consequences?
Behind the scenes
If the makers of Party Animals have it right, the halls of Westminster
aren’t as stuffy as one might think. While the series isn’t
based on any real-life politicians, the production team worked
with Martin Bright, political editor of The New Statesman, to get
the inside scoop on London’s power elite. Bright put the team in
touch with journalists, lobbyists, MPs and researchers.
“Talking to insiders, it soon became clear that the political
world was as much about cliques, social alliances and sexual
intrigue as it was about running the country and policy-making
– in fact, the two are intrinsically linked, “ says producer Eleanor
Greene.
Although political themes are part of the series, the main
focus is on the characters – the young backroom staff of British
politics. “Through their eyes, we tried to capture the buzz of being
so close to power,” says executive producer Simon Heath. “In the
end, you don’t need an interest in politics to enjoy the series. It’s
a workplace like many others, but with its own special brand of
office gossip and competition.”
SEPT/OCT 2011 P RO G R A M G U I D E 1 3