The West Yorkshire city of Bradford is front and centre of a new crime thriller about to debut on BBC One. Virdee follows the trials and tribulations of police detective Harry Virdee as he tries to reconcile his work and family life in a city where tensions are running high and the lines between right and wrong are becoming blurred.
Based on the book City of Sinners by Amit Dhand, it stars Staz Nair as DCI Harry Virdee and Vikash Bhai as his drugs baron brother-in-law. Dhand, who also wrote and created the series, said: “Virdee is an elevated thriller set in the city of Bradford which introduces DCI Harry Virdee, a formidable police detective who likes to break the rules but, eventually, he’ll do whatever it takes to ensute the safety of his city and his family.”
The series showcases some of Bradford’s most famous landmarks, as well as some of its secret sites. And setting the scene is a title theme tune from multi award-winning composer Hans Zimmer.
Virdee tells the story of Detective Harry Virdee, a dedicated police officer whose personal life is in chaos. He is in a loving relationship with his wife Saima but is estranged from his family who disapprove of his interfaith marriage. He is from a Sikh family, and Saima is Muslim. Meanwhile, a turf war is brewing in the underbelly of the city. The police are losing their grip on gang rivalries, and it is beginning to spill over onto the streets of Bradford.
When a young dealer is brutally murdered, tensions among rival gangs are inflamed. Harry’s duty to uphold the law starts to clash with his links to members of the crime gangs. He must hunt down whoever is targeting those around him. And when the killer kidnaps a local MP’s daughter and holds the entire city to ransom, Harry realises he is going to need the help of his brother-in-law and drugs kingpin Riaz, who runs the largest cartel in the county. The pair are pulled together in an alliance which could ruin them both. Harry faces a choice: save himself and his family or save his city. He will not be able to do both.
Staz Nair stars as DCI Harry Virdee, who is caught up in the turf war among gangs. Nair said: “The story follows a cop who has been abandoned by his Sikh family for marrying the love of his life, Saima who is Muslim. At the same time, there is a serial killer systematically attacking the South Asian community and Bradford as a whole. Harry’s love for his family and his city will be challenged as he may only get to choose one.”
Aysha Kala plays nurse Saima Hyatt in the show, DCI Virdee’s wife and the reason for his estrangement from his Sikh family. Discussing her character, Kala said: “Saima starts the show very much in a family drama, but where she ends the show is almost close to horror.”
Vikash Bhai plays Riaz Hyatt, DCI Virdee’s brother-in-law and the boss of the largest drugs cartel. Talking about his role, he said: “He’s a smart and successful businessman who believes he can help make his city a stronger place but as our show unravels, Riaz’s code of ‘business’ is challenged.”
Filmed entirely on location, Dhand said he selected most filming locations to show off Bradford. Describing the contrasting aspects of the city, he said: “Around 200 years ago, Bradford was one of the most powerful and richest cities in Europe. We made the curtains for the White House.”
Virdee launches on BBC One on February 10, 2025, at 9 PM, with other episodes airing the following Mondays. The series will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.