Candice Carty-Williams says new BBC series Champion is about fighting to exist

Candice Carty-Williams said her new BBC series Champion is about “fighting just to exist” and how “heart and pain” come together.

The Sunday Times best-selling author said her debut TV project – a musical drama – offered “something people haven’t seen before”.

Champion follows the story of the musical Champion siblings, rap sensation Bosco and his younger sister Vita, played by Malcolm Kamulete and Deja J Bowens respectively.

With Bosco home from prison and ready to dominate the music industry once more, his sister finally steps out from her brother’s shadow to become a performer in her own right – after being discovered by his rival.

This sets Champion siblings against one another, threatening to tear apart their whole family in the process.

Set in London and described as “a love letter to Black British music”, Champion is a celebration of a sound that has long been at the heart of UK culture.

“Champion is about fighting just to exist and exist comfortably and happily,” said Carty-Williams.

“For me, it’s called Champion and it is about fighting because Vita is the person constantly fighting to be seen and to be heard – not just in family but in music, life and as a black woman, this is really important.”

She continued: “People should watch Champion because I think we’re doing something people haven’t seen before.

“Even though I’ve written it when I watch the cuts I get really excited. There is something about what happens with family and music, the heart and pain that comes together really beautifully in this show.

“We’ve packed so much good stuff into each 45 minutes and it looks really beautiful.”

Carty-Williams said the theme of family was central to the story of Champion.

“When I watch most TV shows, especially concerning young people I’m always thinking where’s the family, where did they come from? I think where we come from says so much about us.

“Everyone has to come from somewhere, I love family drama, writing about and observing families.

“My family in itself is very fractured but I’m always interested in that rather than being sad about it because I can see why it can happen.

“I can see why when people don’t talk to each other you can have massive rifts that last lifetimes sometimes.

“Putting that into my work is really important because family is so foundational.”

Champion features original music written and produced by some of the UK’s leading musicians including Ray BLK, Ghetts and more.

The series begins on Saturday July 1 at 9.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.