When Is The BBC’s Gaelic Drama On TV?
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4 hours ago
What to expect from An t-Eilean (aka The Island)
In December 2023, the BBC celebrated 100 years of broadcasting in Gaelic in Scotland: 1923 saw the launch of Station 2BD, which would develop into BBC Radio nan Gàidheal by 1985. And 2008 saw another milestone thanks to a partnership with the Gaelic Media Service: the launch of BBC Alba (‘Alba’ being the Scottish-Gaelic word for Scotland), an evenings-only Gaelic-language TV channel broadcasting everything from news to sport, dramas to kids’ programmes.
BBC Alba is also available on BBC iPlayer – thankfully for us. The latest drama to capture our attention is An t-Eilean, which the BBC is calling the UK’s first ever high-end Gaelic drama. And, like fellow BBC crime drama Shetland, it really showcases the wild beauty of the Scottish isles. Here’s what you need to know.
An t-Eilean/The Island: Plot, Cast, Episodes & More
DCI Ahmed Halim (SAGAR RADIA) & Kat Crichton (SORCHA GROUNDSELL) in An t-Eilean. (Black Camel Pictures/BBCAlba/John Maher/John Murdo MacAuley)
What Is An t-Eilean About?
An t-Eilean (‘The Island’ in Scottish Gaelic) is a murder mystery backdropped by the island of Lewis and Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland, also known as the Outer Hebrides or Na h-Eileanan an Iar. We centre on Kat Crichton (Sorcha Groundsell), a young family liaison officer tasked with investigating the brutal murder of Lady Mary, the wife of a local tycoon, at their remote island mansion. As with all classic crime dramas, Kat also has a history of her own: she mysteriously fled Lewis and Harris 10 years ago, and is just settling back in.
The Cast
Fluent Gaelic speaker Sorcha Groundsell leads An t-Eilean as Kat Crichton, joined by Industry-star Sagar Radia who plays her boss, DCI Ahmed Halim. As they investigate the murder of Lady Mary (Elspeth Turner), they come into contact with the deeply dysfunctional Maclean family. Patriarch and self-made millionaire Sir Douglas Maclean is played by Iain Mcrae, joined by his four grown children Eilidh (Sinéad MacInnes), Calum (Andrew Macinnes), Sìne (Meredith Brook) and Ruaraidh (Sam James Smith).
The full cast list is as follows:
- Sorcha Groundsell as Kat Crichton
- Sagar Radio as DCI Ahmed Halim
- Elspeth Turner as Lady Mary Maclean
- Iain Mcrae as Sir Douglas Maclean
- Sinéad MacInnes as Eilidh
- Andrew Macinnes as Calum
- Meredith Brook as Sìne
- Sam James Smith as Ruaraidh
- Daibhidh Walker
- Sharyn Ferguson
- Carina MacLeod
- Tormod Macleòid
- MJ Deans
- Iain ‘Spanish’ Mackay
- Julia Taudevin
Calum (ANDREW MACINNES), Sine (MEREDITH BROOK) Eilidh (SINEAD MACINNES), Douglas (IAIN MACRAE) & Young Ruaraidh (JACOB WATSON) in An t-Eilean. (Black Camel Pictures/BBCAlba/John Maher)
Is The Island In Gaelic?
About 70 percent of An t-Eilean/The Island is in Scottish Gaelic, blended with English for the remaining 30 percent. If you don’t speak Scottish Gaelic, English subtitles are available. As of 2022, more than 130,000 Scotland residents have some Scottish Gaelic language skills – approximately 2.5 percent of the population – with more than half of that number speaking the language and the other half understanding it. With a budget of £1 million per episode, An t-Eilean is the most expensive Gaelic-language drama ever made.
‘This feels like a watershed moment for Gaelic,’ says lead star Groundsell. ‘Across the world, we are seeing indigenous languages step confidently out from the shadows to enjoy the recognition they deserve. I see our show as part of that wider movement; a celebration of all that makes us unique.
‘Working on An t-Eilean has been a privilege and a joy,’ she adds. ‘I’m so proud to have been part of a production that is pioneering these new horizons for Gaelic and showcasing the beauty, creativity and depth our language brings to the world.’
How Many Episodes?
An t-Eilean is a four-part drama.
Kat Crichton (SORCHA GROUNDSELL) & Sine MacLean (MEREDITH BROOKS) in An t-Eilean. (Black Camel Pictures/BBCAlba/John Maher)
When Is An t-Eilean/The Island On TV?
An t-Eilean is airing on Tuesday evenings at 9pm on BBC Alba from 14 January 2025. The full release schedule is as follows:
- Episode 1: 9pm Tuesday 14 January 2025
- Episode 2: 9pm Tuesday 21 January 2025
- Episode 3: 9pm Tuesday 28 January 2025
- Episode 4: 9pm Tuesday 4 February 2025
BBC Alba is available on Freeview channel 7 in Scotland, or Sky channel 169 in the rest of the UK. If you don’t have Sky, BBC Alba is also available to stream live on BBC iPlayer.
Where Is An t-Eilean/The Island Streaming?
An t-Eilean is available to stream on BBC iPlayer for the whole of the UK. The first two episodes are available now, with episode three coming on 28 January and the fourth and final episode coming on 4 February.
