See Unsee summary
Jameela Jamil returns to British television as a guest star in The Split Up, the BBC’s new legal drama set in Manchester’s high net-worth divorce scene. At the heart of the series is the Kishan family, a powerful British South Asian law firm whose personal and professional challenges drive the story.
A fresh chapter after The Split
The Split Up picks up the torch from The Split, a well-received BBC drama created by Abi Morgan. Rather than continuing the original storyline, this new six-part series offers a fresh perspective within the same universe. It introduces new characters and a new setting while digging deeper into the emotional and legal complexities of elite divorces.
The storytelling reins have been handed to Ursula Rani Sarma, who brings her own voice after working on Smother and Delicious. Morgan stays involved, this time as executive producer, alongside Sarma, Jane Featherstone (familiar to those who followed Black Doves or Coldwater), and Bryony Arnold, who previously worked on Peaky Blinders.
I was quite fond of The Split for how it balanced slick courtroom drama with unfiltered family struggles. This new chapter seems to carry that same emotional weight but through a more diverse and charged point of view. It’s promising, especially with Ursula Rani Sarma at the helm. To read Pluribus finale shocks fans as season 2 faces long wait
Jameela Jamil steps back into TV drama
Best known for her breakout role in The Good Place and her more recent stint in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Jameela Jamil hasn’t appeared on the small screen since last year’s Poker Face. Her role in The Split Up is still under wraps, but she was already spotted filming on location alongside Ritu Arya, who plays Aria Kishan, one of the key members of the law firm at the center of the series.
It’s exciting to see Jamil return to British television in a more dramatic context. She’s often associated with satire or roles that lean heavily on charisma. Seeing her in a legal drama that promises emotional density could show a different side of her. I hope the script gives her the space to go deeper, emotionally and narratively. She’s been ready for a part like this.
A cast grounded in British talent
The series brings together a cast that feels both familiar and fresh, with a strong emphasis on British South Asian representation. Alongside Ritu Arya and Jameela Jamil, the ensemble includes:
- Sanjeev Bhaskar (Unforgotten), a name that always adds weight
- Aysha Kala (Virdee)
- Arian Nik (Film Club)
- Danny Ashok (Dinosaur)
- Dimitri Leonidas (Those About To Die)
- Mawaan Rizwan (Juice)
- Sindhu Vee (Matilda the Musical)
- Shalini Peiris (The White Lotus)
- Tom Forbes (Queenie)
Guest appearances are also lined up from Lenny Henry and Jane Horrocks, two actors with the kind of screen presence that can shift the tone of an episode in a single scene.
This kind of casting tells me the series isn’t just here to continue a franchise but to carve out its own identity. The combination of experience, humor, and depth in this group is pretty exciting. It feels like The Split Up wants to reflect contemporary Britain as it really is. To read Taylor Swift opens up in final Eras Tour docuseries episode
What to expect and where to watch
Filming is already underway, with a broadcast planned on BBC One and availability on BBC iPlayer. BBC Studios will also handle the series’ international distribution, which suggests the network sees global potential in this reboot-adjacent drama.
The success of The Split rested on its emotional honesty within a world of power and appearances. By moving to Manchester and centering a British South Asian law firm, The Split Up promises not just more drama, but a point of view we rarely see in this kind of show. If the tone feels right and the writing lives up to the ambition, this could resonate far beyond courtrooms.
As a viewer, I’m hoping for characters that feel lived-in, for cases that seep into personal lives, and for that unique BBC touch that knows how to mix restraint with intensity. It’s not about the twists—it’s about how the people navigate them.
