Channel 5 has announced its latest addition to the Play for Today anthology series with Wild, an unsettling new dramedy set against the rugged backdrop of the Scottish Highlands.
Starring a powerhouse trio, Daniel Mays (Line of Duty), Amit Shah (Happy Valley), and Joel Fry (Game of Thrones), the film follows three old friends, Lou, Dev, and Alistair, as they embark on their annual wild camping tradition. What begins as a nostalgic trip filled with banter and amateur vlogging quickly spiras into a desperate battle for survival when the group gets lost and supplies run low. As physical resources dwindle, the fractures in their friendships widen, exposing deep-seated secrets and a volatile clash of egos.
Written by Lewis Wren (Treason), the story deftly explores the fine line between adventure and recklessness while tackling the heavy influence of toxic masculinity on the decline of men’s mental health. The project arrives as the lead actors continue their streak of high-profile roles: Mays recently appeared in Steven Knight’s A Thousand Blows and the Lord of the Flies adaptation, while Shah remains a fan favorite from the final season of Happy Valley.
Joel Fry is also set to appear in Disney’s upcoming comedy-drama Alice and Steve this June. Wild promises to be a poignant yet disturbing look at how even the strongest bonds can be dismantled when pushed to the absolute limit in the wilderness.
