Hereford’s Rural Studios has produced Shakespeare Sonnets: A Modern Lovestory to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the publication of William Shakespeare's First Folio.

Commissioned by BBC Arts and BBC Four, the one-off programme showcases a collection of Shakespeare's most famous sonnets in a fresh and innovative way, bringing
together stars actors Rose Ayling Ellis, Eben Figueiredo, Eloka Ivo and Ioanna Kimbook to weave a new modern love story from Shakespeare’s poetry.

Rural Studios Creative Director, Grant Black said:

“We are thrilled to be a part of the BBC’s Shakespeare celebration season. The programme which was filmed on location in Hereford was a joy to make and we can’t wait for audiences to see it broadcast on the BBC.”

Black added:

“A huge thanks must go to the incredible team that helped produce the programme. Rural Studios has big ambitions to continue making great TV programmes and support the local creative economy.”

Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, said:

“The BBC has a rich history of showcasing Shakespeare and bringing his works alive to successive generations. The 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio is an important opportunity to build on this legacy with an ambitious array of programming across the BBC celebrating the genius of our greatest writer. With documentaries, performance, music, drama, comedy and educational content as well as the very best of the BBC’s extraordinary archive, this season demonstrates our commitment to offering audiences programming they wouldn‘t find anywhere else.”

Shakespeare’s Sonnets: A Modern Lovestory will be broadcast Sunday 29th October on BBC Four.