BBC, FX return Hardy’s Taboo

Tom Hardy in the first season of Taboo

BBC1 in the UK and FX in the US have extended Taboo, the drama created by Steven Knight and actor Tom Hardy, into a second season.

The show, created with Hardy’s father Chips, who is also consulting producer, is set in 1814 and follows a man who returns home to London from Africa to inherit what is left of his father’s shipping empire.

It is produced by Scott Free London and Hardy Son and Baker, with Hollywood director Ridley Scott, Hardy and Knight (Peaky Blinders) attached as exec producers.

The first season, which had its exclusive world premiere at C21’s Content London in November, has been sold around the world by Sonar Entertainment.

“Taboo’s first season was exceptional and its success on FX is testament to the creative excellence and dedication of the producers, cast and crew,” said Eric Schrier, president of original programming at FX.

Knight added: “I’m thrilled that a work which pushes boundaries has been so well received and found such a large and enthusiastic audience in the US and Britain.

”We have tried to take an impressionistic, rather than figurative, approach to a narrative which we hope more accurately portrays the spirit of an extraordinary time in history.”