STARZ PICKS UP TIMELY AND RIVETING QUEER DRAMA "TIP TOE," STARRING ALAN CUMMING AND DAVID MORRISSEY TO AIR IN 2026

Santa Monica, Calif. - June 17, 2026 - STARZ has acquired the exclusive U.S. and English Canada rights to "Tip Toe," a darkly witty yet harrowing and explosive thriller from BAFTA award-winning writer Russell T Davies ("It's a Sin," "Queer as Folk") that explores the most corrosive forces facing the LGBTQ+ community today. Starring Alan Cumming ("The Traitors") and David Morrissey ("Sherwood") as warring neighbors, the five-part series will premiere exclusively on STARZ later this year.

"Tip Toe" was commissioned by U.K. Broadcaster Channel 4 from Quay Street Productions, part of ITV Studios and recently premiered in the U.K. to critical acclaim and unanimous praise for its performances and storytelling. Radio Times proclaims "Tip Toe" "an urgent state-of-the-nation drama" and The Times raves it's "Russell T Davies at his crusading, passionate best."

Leo (Cumming) and Clive (Morrissey) have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years. Leo runs Spit & Polish, a bar on Canal Street and Clive is an electrician with two teenage sons. But just as life should be settling down for both, the world around them is growing more tense. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalized and gradually the two neighbors become deadly enemies in a tense, thrilling drama that spotlights the prejudices that have started to creep back into our lives, in a story that speaks not just to the queer community, but to the world at large.

"Russell T Davies has created a gripping and deeply affecting series that speaks directly to the cultural tensions and anxieties shaping modern life," said Alison Hoffman, President, STARZ Networks. "Anchored by extraordinary performances from Alan Cumming and David Morrissey, 'Tip Toe' examines identity, fear, and polarization in our society in a way that is at once funny, devastating and profoundly human. It's exactly the type of daring and original storytelling that we're dedicated and proud to champion at STARZ."

"It's my great delight to return to STARZ after many years," said Russell T Davies, executive producer. "Tip Toe's launch in the U.K. has shown that audiences are hungry for strong, bold, opinionated material - and that's a perfect fit for STARZ!"

"We're absolutely thrilled to partner with STARZ to bring this exceptional series to American audiences," said Tom Clark, EVP, Global Sales & Commercial Strategy at ITV Studios. "'Tip Toe' delivers bold and distinctive storytelling that resonates globally, and after an impactful debut in the U.K., we can't wait for U.S. viewers to experience this gripping drama."

Filmed entirely in Manchester, the series also stars Pooky Quesnel ("The A Word," "Moonflower Murders") as Clive's wife, Marie; Jackson Connor ("Phoenix Rise," "Masters of the Air") as Clive's youngest son, George; Joseph Evans (The Map That Leads To You, CC Emily) as George's older brother, Saul; Elizabeth Berrington ("Lost Boys & Fairies," Last Night In Soho) as Leo's best friend, Stephanie; Iz Hesketh ("Renegade Nell," "Hollyoaks") as Zee, and Shakeel Kimotho ("La Cage Aux Folles" at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and the international tour of "Cats") as Hanna, who both work at Spit & Polish; Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo ("Wednesday," "Devs") as the bar's manager, Judy; Paul Rhys (Saltburn, Napoleon) as Melba, a Canal Street fixture; Charlie Condou ("Doctor Who," "Unforgotten") as Leo's ex-husband, Curtis; and Denise Welch ("Waterloo Road," "Coronation Street") as Diane.

STARZ is the premium streaming home for women and underrepresented audiences, driven by inclusive, adult storytelling and an unwavering commitment to the viewers it serves. STARZ's expanding slate is a blend of self-owned originals ("Fightland"), prestige acquisitions ("Amadeus," "The Listeners") and powerhouse franchises ("Outlander," "Power").

"Tip Toe" is produced by Quay Street Productions, with Nicola Shindler, CEO of Quay Street Productions ("Happy Valley," "It's a Sin," "Queer as Folk"), Russell T Davies ("Doctor Who," "Queer as Folk," "It's a Sin"), Peter Hoar ("The Last of Us," "It's A Sin") and Alan Cumming serving as executive producers. The series is produced by Phil Collinson ("It's a Sin," "Gentleman Jack") directed by Peter Hoar and is cast by Andy Pryor ("Doctor Who," "It's a Sin"). "Tip Toe" is produced in association with ITV Studios which also distributes the show internationally. The deal with STARZ was brokered by Katie Buchanan and Rob Kaplan at ITV Studios.

About STARZ

STARZ (NASDAQ: STRZ) is the leading premium entertainment destination for women and underrepresented audiences, and home to some of the most popular franchises and series on television. STARZ offers a robust programming mix for discerning adult audiences, including boundary-breaking originals and an expansive lineup of blockbuster movies, and is embodied by its brand positioning "We're All Adults Here." Complementary to any platform or service, STARZ is available across a wide range of digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors and is a bundling partner of choice. STARZ is powered by an industry-leading advanced technology, data analytics and digital infrastructure and the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app.

About ITV Studios

ITV Studios is a creator, producer and distributor of world-leading programmes that people can't get enough of. We connect millions of people every day and shape and reflect the world they live in.

ITV Studios is home to some of the best creative minds, crafting around 7,500 hours of original programming across 60 production labels. Our global footprint spans 13 countries including the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, The Nordics, Italy and the Netherlands and our global distribution business sells our catalogue of over 100,000 hours to broadcasters and platforms around the world.

It launched a new label, Zoo 55, dedicated to expanding its digital and gaming activity, in 2025. Zoo 55 has 200+ owned and operated channels in the social space delivering 47bn views in 2025, as well as 20 FAST channel brands and 28 unique channels distributed in 43 countries and 318 live streams globally.

In 2026, ITV Studios launched Studio 55, a global brand partnership studio which is designed to offer brands, marketing agencies and content creators unprecedented access to ITV Studios' world-class portfolio of IP. Its focus spans bigger licensing deals and digital first formats targeted to deepen fan loyalty and build on how audiences interact with TV brands.

ITV Studios is part of ITV PLC, which includes the UK's largest commercial broadcaster ITV and the ad-funded, free streaming home for ITV, ITVX.

About Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios)

Quay Street Productions was founded by multi-award-winning producer Nicola Shindler in 2021, to make contemporary, provocative and entertaining drama for UK and global audiences.

Based in Manchester, Quay Street Productions works closely with new and established writers to tell a broad range of stories.

Russell T Davies' drama Nolly, starring Helena Bonham Carter as soap opera legend Noele "Nolly" Gordon, and Significant Other by Dana Fainaru and Hamish Wright, starring Katherine Parkinson and Youssef Kerkour, both launched on ITVX and ITV in 2023. Feature-length BBC One drama Men Up, written by BAFTA Wales winner Matthew Barry and starring Iwan Rheon, aired Christmas 2023 and After The Flood, written by BAFTA-nominated Mick Ford and starring Sophie Rundle, launched on ITV1 and ITVX in 2024.

Harlan Coben's Netflix series Fool Me Once, written by BAFTA-winner Danny Brocklehurst, starring Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar, Richard Armitage and Joanna Lumley, premiered globally in January 2024, and became the most-watched series in the US in 2024, on any platform, and joined Netflix's global chart of its top 10 most popular English-language shows of all time. To date, the series has over 108 million views since its launch in January 2024.

Dead Hot, written by Charlotte Coben and commissioned by Amazon Prime Video for UK and Ireland, dropped in March 2024, followed by Tubi to serve the US. Toby Whithouse's The Red King aired on UKTV in April 2024. Missing You, a Harlan Coben series for Netflix, written by Victoria Asare-Archer, launched January 2025, and Catherine Moulton's The Stolen Girl, an adaptation of the 2020 novel Playdate by Alex Dahl, launched in April 2025 on Disney+. Welsh-based propulsive drama, The Guest, written by Matthew Barry, launched in Autumn 2025 on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

Lazarus, an Amazon Prime Video series written and co-created by Danny Brocklehurst and Harlan Coben, launched in October 2025. As part of their ongoing collaboration, the next Harlan Coben adaptation for Netflix, Run Away, premiered on 1 January 2026. The second series of After the Flood also launched on ITV and ITVX in January 2026, and Tip Toe, written by BAFTA-winner Russell T Davies for Channel 4 launched in May 2026. Meanwhile, The Blame, starring Michelle Keegan, is currently in post-production for ITV and ITVX and is set to launch this Autumn.