Genre: | Factual drama |
Screenplay: | Matthew Barry |
Director: | Ashley Way |
Country: | Wales |
Language: | English |
Producer: | Karen Lewis |
Editor: | John Richards |
Cinematography: | Adam Etherington |
Network: | BBC One |
Men Up is a Welsh television film broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, about the first ever clinical trials for the drug viagra, which took place in Swansea in 1994. Russell T Davies is amongst the executive producers. The cast includes Aneurin Barnard, Alexandra Roach, Phaldut Sharma, Iwan Rheon, Steffan Rhodri and Joanna Page. It aired on 29 December 2023.
In Morriston Hospital in Swansea in 1994, a group of middle-aged Welsh men stepped into the unknown by taking part in the world's first medical trials for the drug that became Viagra.
The programme was written by Matthew Barry. Executive producers were Nicola Shindler and Davina Earl for Quay Street Productions, Rachel Evans for Boom, Matthew Barry, Russell T Davies and Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC.[1] Men Up was directed by Ashley Way and produced by Karen Lewis.[2]
In 2023 the cast was revealed to include Phaldut Sharma, Iwan Rheon, Mark Lewis Jones, Steffan Rhodri, Alexandra Roach and Joanna Page.[3] Dyfan Dwyfor and Aneurin Barnard also appeared.[4]
Filming took place in Swansea in early 2023.[5] Filming had wrapped before the end of May 2023.[6]
The programme was shown in the UK on BBC One and BBC iPlayer during the 2023 festive period.[7]
Writing for The Guardian, Lucy Mangan described the programme as "a masterpiece" and awarded it five stars out of five.[8]
The series was nominated for Best Single Drama at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards in March 2024.[9]