Latest news with #DanielBrennan
Business Insider
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Seer (SEER) Gets a Buy from TD Cowen
TD Cowen analyst Daniel Brennan reiterated a Buy rating on Seer (SEER – Research Report) today. The company's shares closed today at $1.92. Protect Your Portfolio Against Market Uncertainty Discover companies with rock-solid fundamentals in TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter. Receive undervalued stocks, resilient to market uncertainty, delivered straight to your inbox. Brennan covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Illumina, NeoGenomics, and Exact Sciences. According to TipRanks, Brennan has an average return of 7.5% and a 41.23% success rate on recommended stocks. Seer has an analyst consensus of Moderate Buy, with a price target consensus of $3.00. Based on Seer's latest earnings release for the quarter ending December 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $3.95 million and a GAAP net loss of $21.74 million. In comparison, last year the company earned a revenue of $4.18 million and had a GAAP net loss of $17.8 million
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BSX Q1 Earnings Call: Outperformance Driven by Cardiology and Electrophysiology, Guidance Raised Amid Tariff Headwinds
Medical device company Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q1 CY2025, with sales up 20.9% year on year to $4.66 billion. The company expects next quarter's revenue to be around $4.88 billion, close to analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.75 per share was 11.5% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy BSX? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $4.66 billion vs analyst estimates of $4.57 billion (20.9% year-on-year growth, 2% beat) Adjusted EPS: $0.75 vs analyst estimates of $0.67 (11.5% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $1.45 billion vs analyst estimates of $1.31 billion (31.2% margin, 11.3% beat) Revenue Guidance for Q2 CY2025 is $4.88 billion at the midpoint, roughly in line with what analysts were expecting Management raised its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $2.91 at the midpoint, a 2.5% increase Operating Margin: 19.8%, up from 17.5% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow was $511.4 million, up from -$15 million in the same quarter last year Organic Revenue rose 18.2% year on year (13.1% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $146.3 billion Boston Scientific's first quarter results were shaped by broad-based momentum in its cardiology and electrophysiology businesses. Management highlighted that double-digit growth in five of eight business units and strong adoption of key platforms like FARAPULSE and WATCHMAN contributed to the company's outperformance. CEO Mike Mahoney emphasized, 'Our strong growth continues to reflect the durability of our category leadership strategy, which is powered through meaningful innovation and clinical evidence generation.' Looking forward, management's raised full-year guidance incorporates both continued portfolio strength and the anticipated impact of new tariffs. CFO Daniel Brennan noted that while tariffs present a $200 million headwind, the company expects to offset these through increased sales and discretionary spending reductions. Mahoney added, 'We remain excited about our near and long-term growth catalysts, which we believe will enable us to deliver consistent differentiated performance this year and well beyond.' Management attributed the quarter's outperformance to execution across core businesses, successful integration of recent acquisitions, and ongoing investment in clinical and manufacturing capabilities. Cardiology and Electrophysiology Surge: Cardiology sales grew substantially, with management pointing to strong demand for FARAPULSE (a pulsed field ablation system used in cardiac arrhythmia treatment) and the WATCHMAN left atrial appendage closure device. These platforms benefited from increased adoption, new account openings, and supporting clinical data. Geographic Expansion: The U.S. market experienced over 30% operational growth, while Japan and China also contributed meaningfully. Management noted that China, despite pricing pressures from volume-based procurement (VBP), is expected to maintain double-digit growth due to local partnerships and product launches. Integration of Acquisitions: The company completed the acquisitions of Bolt Medical and made progress integrating Axonics and other recently acquired businesses. These moves expand Boston Scientific's footprint in interventional cardiology, peripheral interventions, and urology. Pipeline Progress and Regulatory Milestones: Management highlighted ongoing clinical trials and anticipated regulatory approvals for next-generation products—including the Empower leadless pacemaker, expanded indications for WATCHMAN, and new mapping solutions for electrophysiology. Tariff and Supply Chain Management: The team acknowledged that new tariffs will impact costs in the second half of the year but stated they will not shift manufacturing locations, instead focusing on managing discretionary spending to protect margins. Management's outlook for the next quarter and the full year is underpinned by continued demand in core therapeutic categories, the expected contributions from recent product launches, and disciplined cost management in the face of new tariffs. Core Portfolio Momentum: Management expects sustained demand for FARAPULSE, WATCHMAN, and emerging electrophysiology products to drive above-market growth in key geographies. Mitigating Tariff Headwinds: The company plans to counteract a $200 million tariff impact primarily through higher sales, selective cost controls, and minor foreign exchange benefits, rather than changes to the manufacturing footprint. Ongoing Pipeline and Integration: New clinical data readouts, regulatory milestones, and the integration of new acquisitions such as SoniVie and Entera Oncology are expected to contribute to both revenue growth and portfolio diversification. Robert Marcus (JPMorgan): Asked about the ability to offset $200 million in tariffs and whether manufacturing would shift. Management replied that increased sales and spending reductions would cover the headwind, with no plans to change manufacturing locations. Larry Biegelsen (Wells Fargo): Questioned Boston Scientific's goal to become the #1 player in electrophysiology. CEO Mike Mahoney said this is the company's aim, driven by clinical leadership and geographic expansion, especially in China and Japan. Joanne Wuensch (Citi): Requested details on WATCHMAN's growth and uptake of combined procedures. Management cited faster-than-expected adoption and highlighted benefits for patients, physicians, and hospitals. Frederick Wise (Stifel): Asked about the broader impact of trade tensions and supply chain risks in China. Mahoney stated that double-digit growth is expected in China despite VBP pressures, supported by local manufacturing and partnerships. David Roman (Goldman Sachs): Inquired about drivers for moving MedSurg growth from mid-single to high-single digits. Management pointed to integration of acquisitions, improvements in neuromodulation, and some ongoing supply chain challenges in urology. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will focus on (1) the uptake and broader clinical adoption of FARAPULSE and next-generation electrophysiology platforms, (2) progress on regulatory approvals and expanded indications for products like WATCHMAN and Empower, and (3) evidence of successful integration and revenue contributions from recent acquisitions such as SoniVie and Bolt Medical. We will also monitor the company's ability to offset tariff headwinds while sustaining margin expansion. Is BSX a buy or sell post earnings? The answer lies in our free research report. Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 175% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Comfort Systems (+751% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Journals
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Petri Dish: Boston Scientific CFO retires, Seres' reverse stock split
Over the last week, Boston Scientific announced a forthcoming CFO change, Seres' reverse stock split and a Flagship startup's new pharma partnership. Story Highlights Repertoire Immune Medicines partners with Genentech for autoimmune disease treatments. Boston Scientific CFO Daniel Brennan to retire after 30 years. Seres Therapeutics implements 1-for-20 reverse stock split to boost share price. In recent days, Boston Scientific announced a forthcoming CFO change, a Cambridge biotech undertook a 1-for-20 reverse stock split and a Flagship startup announced an expanded partnership with Genentech. Repertoire expands Genentech deal The Flagship spinout Repertoire Immune Medicines has signed another deal with a big pharma partner. The Cambridge startup will work with Genentech, the California-based subsidiary of Roche, to discover and develop T cell-targeted immune medicines to treat an autoimmune disease. The collaboration and license agreement will earn Repertoire $35 million upfront as well as potentially up to $730 million in additional development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as tiered royalties. Almost exactly one year ago, Repertoire announced a multi-year collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) to develop tolerizing vaccines for up to three autoimmune diseases. The deal was worth $65 million upfront and up to $1.8 billion for hitting certain milestones. Boston Scientific CFO to retire Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE: BSX) announced that CFO Daniel Brennan will retire from his role after nearly 30 years with the company. Brennan's last day will be at the end of June, but he will stay on as a senior advisor through early October 2025. Stepping into the role of chief financial officer is Jonathan Monson, who is currently Boston Scientific's senior vice president of investor relations. Seres' reverse stock split Seres Therapeutics Inc. went through with a 1-for-20 reverse stock split, a move typically undertaken by a company to increase its share price. The Cambridge biotech's common stock began trading on a split-adjusted basis on Tuesday. Seres' (Nasdaq: MCRB) shares were priced at almost $10 apiece on Wednesday afternoon and its market cap was $86.83 million. Last year, Seres sold full ownership of its microbiome pill, Vowst, to Nestlé Health Science. Vowst was approved in 2023 after about a decade of development. Seres said more than one-third of its employees would transfer to Nestlé. Subscribe to our BioFlash, TechFlash and Real Estate newsletters — all free.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Team behind Adolescence release new BBC revenge thriller with unique twist you can stream in one sitting
The team behind Adolescence have already released their newest show, with the series releasing in full on BBC iPlayer this morning. The show is a revenge thriller with a unique twist – the main star is deaf and much of the show alternates between spoken English and British Sign Language (BSL). Adolescence's success has set up the producers of the show for great things, with the series sitting at 9th in Netflix's all-time English-speaking record for viewers. Jack Thorne, the TV show's writer, has taken on big budget jobs writing Tron 3 and his third Enola Holmes film for Netflix, while Stephen Graham was confirmed to be returning for the Peaky Blinders movie. The show's production company meanwhile, Warp Films, has already released its next show though – a revenge thriller called Reunion. The BBC's synopsis of the show reads: 'Reunion is an emotional thriller of revenge and redemption following the journey of Daniel Brennan, played by Matthew Gurney, a deaf man determined to right his wrongs while unravelling the truth behind the events that led him to prison.' Joined in the cast by Anne-Marie Duff, Eddie Marsan, and Lara Peake, the series has four hour-long episodes, available to watch on iPlayer now. Gurney, the lead actor, is deaf, and spoke to the BBC about how his role is different to others he had worked on. He said that the character of Daniel Brennan was 'on a wildly different journey than that portrayed by normal deaf lives'. The actor went on to say: 'In previous films, deaf and disabled characters have been portrayed in quite stereotypical ways. "This is different, this portrays a man who is hated within the deaf community. 'That's why I wanted to know more about him, and that's why I wanted to get involved." Speaking about the character of Daniel, the show's writer William Mager explains he 'grew up in the deaf community' before saying: 'When he kills someone, it means he is excluded from that community, and that's the community that forms his identity. 'It becomes a double prison sentence for Brennan, he is in physical prison, but he finishes his time and is in a different kind of prison. 'That's part of the story, how he deals with that isolation and overcomes the feeling of losing everything.' The Financial Times gave the show four stars in their review, with particular praise for Gurney's performance. They said Gurney was 'brilliantly expressive as a man caught between rage and redemption'. The review ends saying: 'There's enough talent and fresh, hitherto under-represented perspectives here to ensure that this revenge story doesn't feel like a dish served reheated.' .
BBC News
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Reunion cast and creatives tease 'mystery, intrigue and excitement' in epic bilingual revenge thriller
Reunion is a four-part revenge thriller told through the unique point of view of a deaf man isolated from society, both physically and emotionally. We meet Brennan, a convicted murderer, as he leaves prison after serving ten years. Upon leaving prison, Brennan has a clear mission: revenge. Embodying the struggle of a man caught between two worlds, Brennan is unable to fully integrate into the hearing world, while shunned by the deaf community. Amidst this isolation, the only hope of redemption and saving Brennan from himself is through rebuilding his relationship with his estranged daughter Carly and finding a way to let go of the past. Will Brennan be consumed by his desire for revenge or take the opportunity for a new life with his daughter? Watch Reunion on iPlayer and BBC One from Monday 7 April and add to your Watchlist GK Interviews William Mager (Lead writer, creator and executive producer) What is Reunion about? Reunion is the story of a man called Daniel Brennan. He's just out of prison after ten years inside for committing a terrible crime. He's lost his family. He's lost his friends. He's lost the deaf community. But he's on a journey of revenge. But that journey becomes something different from what he's expecting and from what the audience is expecting. It starts as a typical story of revenge, and then it becomes something bigger and more powerful. Can you tell us about writing Reunion and how it developed from an early idea? Reunion started as an idea a long time ago. Initially, it was from a place of emotion, a place of anger, sadness. It felt like I had something to say. Originally, I wanted to write it as a short drama - that was ten years ago. But then three or four years ago, I started to look at that idea again and realised it would work better as a series, I just wrote it for myself. But what was interesting was that when I started to send out the script, everyone loved it. I was shocked by that because when you write something for yourself, you don't care what other people think about it but when people like it, it's great and kind of scary too. Tell us about collaborating with Warp Films, how did the project develop once they were involved? When Warp Films first joined the production, I was so happy because I'm from Sheffield and Warp is based here, so it was a dream collaboration. They've been brilliant, they worked with me for two years to get to the point where we were filming and just looking around, seeing the actors, seeing the crew, it was just amazing to watch it come together. The series highlights the close-knit nature of deaf communities. Why was this key to how the audience understands Brennan's motives and experience when released from prison? Our main character, Daniel Brennan grew up in the deaf community. All of his best friends and family are deaf. For him, it's important that he has that inclusion. So, when he kills someone, it means he is excluded from that community, and that's the community that forms his identity. It becomes a double prison sentence for Brennan, he is in physical prison, but he finishes his time and is in a different kind of prison. That's part of the story, how he deals with that isolation and overcomes the feeling of losing everything. In the deaf community, everybody knows everybody, and Brennan is a victim of rumours. Nobody knows why he did what he did, and everyone's created theories and ideas about what happened that night. Reunion also shows the power of the deaf community. It can be a place of safety where you feel you can be your authentic self, but when Brennan's excluded from that, it becomes a very different thing for him, something more judgmental and claustrophobic, they've turned against him. It was interesting for us to explore this and how you deal with being rejected by the community that you love. Reunion is set against a Yorkshire backdrop. How do you use these locations to heighten the drama throughout the series? What I wanted to do was write a love letter to my hometown, Sheffield. To show those amazing locations that I remember from my childhood but also show that there's a strong deaf community here in Sheffield. We've used a lot of deaf people who live and work here as part of Reunion, which was important for me. I grew up here and I lived here for 22 years. One thing I always loved about Sheffield was the contrast. The centre of town has lots of old buildings from the industrial past, the steel industry, and then five minutes' drive out of the centre and you're in the countryside, it's beautiful, it's green and the contrast of that is so surprising for me. What I like about Reunion is that it starts in quite a dark place. It starts in prison. But by the end, the journey takes us to the countryside, where we find our final scenes. The series is bilingual, with both spoken English and BSL. How important was it to have both languages present throughout the series? One thing I wanted to achieve with Reunion was to show that sign language is not just one thing. Sign language can be used in different ways. Some people sign and speak at the same time, and some use sign language solely. Others will use SSC (Scottish Sensory Centre) and add in elements of gesture. I wanted to show the variety of communication methods that deaf and hard-of-hearing people use. I'm proud of Lara Peake and Anne-Marie Duff as they both had to learn sign language for this series., They learned it in a matter of weeks and they look amazing. I'm also proud of Duffy, our sign language consultant, for helping both of them learn and thrive in sign. Was it difficult writing the bilingual element of it? I wrote Reunion as a bilingual script from the start. I knew clearly who would be signing, who would be speaking, and who wouldn't be signing at all. However, I had to use italics and bold to show the different range of communications that they use. I had to think about that carefully so that the director could hopefully navigate that with the language each character should be using. I also wanted to show that no deaf person is the same and that everyone has their own style of communication, their own language, their own accent, so it was important for me that it was a bilingual series from the start. Can you tell us three things viewers can look forward to in Reunion? Luke Snellin, the director, is something audiences should look forward to, he did an amazing job. He joined the production knowing very little about deaf culture and sign language but once he got on set, he embraced it and learnt sign language as he went along, and he did brilliantly. But the thing I'm most excited about is Matthew Gurney. I've known him for about 20 years, and he's an incredible actor. I'm so happy that he finally gets this opportunity to show what he can do with Reunion. The whole of Reunion is happening because of him, because of his acting. I was talking about Matty with our sign language consultant, Duffy, who said that seeing Matty, a deaf actor, as number one on the call sheet gave him goosebumps. Matty is carrying the whole thing with strength and it's beautiful to watch. Can you explain to us what a sign name is? A sign name is given to you by members of the deaf community, friends and peers. It's not always the name that you want to be given, but it's based on a very personal trait this could be physical, or personality-based; sometimes it's the name you have to accept. My sign name is [he moves both hands in front of him from side to side while moving his fingers up and down in a mimic piano motion] and it means piano man. Over 20 years ago, I was on a Channel 4 documentary about a deaf man playing the piano. The next day I went to a deaf pub, and everyone was pointing at me and said, 'Look, it's the Piano Man', and that was it, it has stuck with me ever since. Why should people watch the show? Reunion is set within the deaf community, it has sign language within it, but also it has an element of mystery, intrigue and excitement. Reunion is about hope. It's about a man who's lost everything. His wife, his daughter, his friends and his community, but he still has hope that one day, maybe, he'll find a way to live again. Matthew Gurney (Daniel Brennan) What first drew you to Reunion and the role of Brennan? It's an amazing storyline and completely different from my previous work. Brennan is on a wildly different journey than that portrayed by normal deaf lives. In previous films, deaf and disabled characters have been portrayed in quite stereotypical ways. This is different, this portrays a man who is hated within the deaf community. That's why I wanted to know more about him, and that's why I wanted to get involved. Where do we find Brennan at the beginning of the series? My character has just been released from prison. He's finally free, out of isolation. However, when he gets out, he finds that he is still isolated. He is on a journey to try to reunite with various people and solve the problems of his past. What did you think when you first read William (Billy) Mager's scripts? Billy's scripts are brilliant. I've seen them develop which has helped me to understand and embody my character. Brennan's journey is different now than it was in the original scripts, the story is more targeted. Before there seemed to be more of a balance between the family storyline and the mission to find certain people and seek revenge. Now the journey seems a lot more focused on finding those people, which feels right. What's your relationship with Billy Mager? I've known Billy for a good 20 years. I remember the first time we worked together was on Vee TV for Channel 4. He was the director; I was the presenter. We also worked together on Fingerspellers and various other projects before Reunion. Tell us about Brennan and Carly's relationship and how that changes through the series Brennan and Carly's relationship has broken down. They were very close when she was growing up but have been apart from each other for a long time. They are finally reunited but his daughter has grown up, she's not how Brennan remembers her, she's a different person now. It takes a lot of work to rebuild their relationship slowly throughout the episodes before they get their reunion. Hence, it is called Reunion. What was it like filming in Yorkshire and what does the location add to the series? It really adds to the story; it doubles the impact. Rather than solely focusing on the shots and making sure the signing is in the frame, the locations impact the mood and reflect the journey that Brennan is on. From the cafe, the garage and the cemetery, they are all such different locations, which makes it much more exciting. For example, the reunion scene is in an extravagant hall, but we have other locations which helps the tone of the show. Can you tell us about how you brought the themes of revenge, redemption and the challenges of navigating life after prison to life on screen? I try to picture and think about how the world has excluded Brennan and shut him out. I think about how I can find ways to make the truth known. When people refuse to talk to Brennan, I try to find different ways of acting and ways to behave. I try to draw on my animal instincts and channel that, to help in his pursuit to get what he wants. What was your favourite scene to film? I would say the cafe scene where Brennan first meets Carly because that is their reintroduction, the first time he sees his daughter again. It feels very emotional as they both don't know how to act naturally with each other anymore, there is so much that is unsaid. Tell us why audiences should watch Reunion It is a unique storyline, not one that patronises deaf people, it shows a range of Sign Language, from BSL to SSE! And it's incredibly visual. Try not to rely on the sound or music but appreciate the visual nature of the show. What is your sign name? My sign name is Matty [he signs a straight line forward with his full hand parallel from his nose], because I don't beat around the bush, I always get straight to the point. Lara Peake (Carly Brennan) Tell us about Reunion and where we find Carly at the beginning of the series Reunion is about a man who gets out of prison. He's been in prison for ten years for murdering his best friend, and when he gets out, he's on this mission but we don't exactly know what he is on a mission for. Then he meets his daughter, Carly, who I'm playing, and there's a reunion of sorts between them. In the series, there are lots of smaller reunions as well as the big reunion that the title alludes to. At the start of the series, Carly is working in a cafe. She doesn't have much money, her living situation isn't great, her mum's died, so she's totally isolated. With her dad going to prison, she's been isolated from the deaf community that she grew up in as well because she's a CODA, which means she's hearing but was born to deaf adults. How did Brennan going to prison affect Carly's life? Brennan's arrest totally changed Carly's life. It came as a surprise because she believes her dad is a good person and can't comprehend why he would do such a bad thing, especially to Ray, his best friend who's been so integrated in their lives for years. She was also forced to stop being friends with Miri, her best friend for ten years, who is the daughter of Ray. She just becomes pretty much alone, more so when her mum dies which was two years after Brennan was sent to prison and so after that point she is truly all alone. How does Carly feel towards Brennan when they meet again? It's very conflicting. On the one hand, she wants to bond and have this relationship with her dad again, but Brennan's also not written to her or kept in touch while he's been in prison and there's this massive push-and-pull dynamic between the two trying to understand each other again. He has to realise that she's not the same girl he left when he went to prison, now she's a full-grown adult. Did you know any BSL before you joined the cast of Reunion? No, I didn't. I've always been quite fascinated by it as a language and the visuals, but I didn't know any of it. It's been amazing to learn it and soak it all up. This is probably my favourite job yet because of this opportunity to learn BSL, among other things of course! Did you have to learn BSL for your audition, and how did you do that? For the chemistry audition with Matty (Brennan) I was asked to learn the scene in BSL. I got sent a video of the sign, and I had to copy it and memorise it, and then put the emotion and the acting on top of that. But actually, learning BSL for the show, I've been looking into the meaning of the words, and I just find the whole process amazing, and I feel grateful that I am a part of this series. It's mindful as well, like meditation. When I'm learning it, I can be doing it for three or four hours and I'm like, wow, that's just flown by. Tell us about the whole learning process, who helped you? Our sign language consultant, Duffy, is a complete legend who taught me pretty much every day during filming. As time went on, we were out in social settings, and I picked up so much more outside of the formal learning environment. Duffy's brilliant, he's a complete prankster as well, which is funny and makes learning fun. What was it like filming in Yorkshire? What do you think the location adds to the series? It was amazing to be filming in Yorkshire. It's not too far from where I'm from in Nottingham. I also have a family connection with the area, my grandad grew up in a town not too far from where we were filming, so it feels like a home from home. But also, the landscape, the people, it's all just incredible. It feels like you can really get into the environment and let that guide you as an actor. Do you have a sign name, can you explain it? My sign name is [she takes her middle three fingers and does a scratching motion on her shoulder] because Duffy said that I sign slow like a sloth. What you will find is a lot of deaf humour is a lot of playful teasing and banter. Why should audiences watch the show? There's so much that people can relate to in this series. In the relationships, the storyline, what it feels like to be isolated from a community, welcomed into a community. To be able to watch a show that is led by deaf actors. And sign language is not done often enough, so it's an opportunity to learn and become fascinated and immersed in that world. Anne-Marie Duff (Christine Mokhtar) What first drew you to the project and the role of Christine? These particular scripts are so beautifully written. They are so unlike anything else I'd ever read, I was immediately excited, and it was a bit of a no-brainer, I had to be involved. Also, the world that we would be living in was something I had never experienced before. I know deaf people, but I have never immersed myself in that culture, so that was exciting. As an actor, I always love my work to feel valuable, and it's rare. Most of the time it can feel a bit frivolous but on a production like this, it just felt profoundly worthwhile. Tell us where we find Christine at the start of the series Christine is a very interesting woman. She's had this dreadful thing happen to her and is coming out of the woods and into the sunlight again in terms of getting through it all. And then the past comes back in this really Freudian way, so I thought that was fascinating. What are Christine's motives when she first encounters Brennan again after he gets out of prison? When Christine sees Brennan as a free man, she has so many unanswered questions. Not only did he murder her husband, but it wasn't a random attack. Brennan was very much a part of Christine and Ray's lives and was a good friend, so she's desperately hungry for the why and how it happened because there are many questions left unanswered. As soon as she sees him, she's like a bloodhound chasing the truth. Her motive is just to fill in all the blank spaces that are just there because the most awful thing has happened. Miri and Christine have a close but slightly fractured relationship throughout the series. How did you work with Rose to bring that authentic relationship to life? I've been fantastically lucky to work with Rose. Not only is she this spectacular person, but she's also a real game changer and an inspiration, and she's just lovely. She's a brilliant actor; she works so hard. It was very easy trying to create the sense that we are related and that we love each other. She's so available and it's been very easy to play her mum. Our relationship in the series is great because it feels like a real relationship. No relationship ever runs on a single track, there are always little diversions, and in this, we're dealing with high stakes, jeopardy and pain. It's been interesting playing these two women trying to navigate these emotions and trying to take care of each other, but at the same time needing their own space. Did you know any BSL before you joined the cast? Tell us about the learning process and how you prepared I was an absolute beginner when it came to signing. In a way, sometimes that's the best place to start because you don't bring anything with you, you're just wide open and ready to learn. I've also had the most incredible teacher, Duffy, and we had to work very quickly to get me to a point where I looked like I had been signing for years. It's a completely beautiful language and the environment on set around signing is so alive because it's not just some of the actors who are deaf, there are also crew members and supporting artists from that community too. Everyone must communicate with each other, and it's been a good example of how we can and how easy it is if we try. I've loved it. It's very interesting translating and saying, 'Okay, if I would act this vocally in this way how would I physicalise when signing in scenes where I don't vocalise' and so it's exactly the same. I'd be just as awkward physically as I would with my voice, so it's been rather beautiful actually. We've had a good giggle along the way, and even having a cup of tea with everybody, I'm having to sign all the time. It's immersion, it's like visiting this beautiful country where I've had to learn the language and it's been brilliant. Do you have a sign name? And if so, what is it? Rose gave me a sign name and sign names are magical because they're all about your essence and who you are and so it's much more interesting than just getting a nickname. It's kind of a name you earn, which is very interesting. So, my sign name is this [she holds a fist over her chest with her thumb moving up and down in a 'beating' motion] and the reason that it's over my heart is because, according to Rose, I am kind, and I always call everybody baby. Why should everyone watch Reunion? Everyone should watch Reunion because it's surprising, full of twists and turns, brilliant characters and performances. But it's also a story about what we do to each other and how the events of early life can alter your future profoundly. It just tears along, and it leaves you with so many questions you're desperate to have the answers to, that's how I felt when I read the scripts. Eddie Marsan (Stephen Renworth) What first drew you to the project? And the character of Stephen? I thought Reunion was a fascinating project. On the surface, the drama is about a deaf character who comes out of prison and wants to put something right. What it's really about is a failure to communicate, and a failure to tell the truth. To put it in the context of a deaf character who can't hear and can't communicate was an ingenious way of exploring that theme. I also wanted to work with Anne-Marie because I've worked with her before and she's fantastic. Where do we find Stephen at the start of the series? Stephen is a retired police officer who is starting a relationship with Anne-Marie's character Christine, whose husband was murdered by Brennan all those years ago. Interestingly, Stephen does hold a dark secret himself, and he has a moral dilemma of whether to tell the truth or to keep quiet. What did you think when you first read Billy's scripts? I thought it was an ingenious way of exploring the theme of truth, how and why we can't tell the truth and the lies that we tell to protect ourselves. I thought exploring it through someone within the deaf community, and how it relates to them is a brilliant metaphor. What have been some of your favourite experiences during the film so far? Working with a cast and crew who are a mixture of both hearing and non-hearing. I loved learning the sign language, but also the humour. Everyone has a sign name, and my sign name means 'The Best', and I said, 'Does that mean I'm the best?' And someone said, 'No, it means you think you're the best!'. What's it like filming in Yorkshire? Do you think locations add to the series? I enjoy filming in Yorkshire. I love Sheffield as a town. Me and Anne-Marie had a scene outside Sheffield City Hall opposite a Wetherspoons with numerous hen parties, which was an experience, but it was great fun as well. There's an incredible generosity of spirit here, it's not pretentious in any way. Why should people watch the show? Reunion is an ingenious and unique story that's told from a perspective that hasn't been explored before. Viewers are going to find it fascinating, frustrating, intriguing and illuminating. Rose Ayling-Ellis (Miri Mokhtar) What first drew you to the project and the character of Miri? William Mager. In my experience, a deaf writer of a TV drama has rarely happened, ever. When I read the scripts there were so many moments in it that were so specific to deaf culture. It got me so excited to see those moments, and I just felt that I had to be involved. What's Miri's relationship with her mom, Christine, like? Their relationship is a lovely mother-and-daughter relationship. They're both grieving, even though it's been ten years. But grieving never goes away, it can have its ups and downs, and they bond over that. Also, for Miri, Christine is the only family that she has left, so she is very protective of her mum. What's it like working closely with Anne-Marie Duff? It's amazing. It's funny because a lot of people have said to my mum, oh, Anne-Marie would play you in a movie about your life, and now she's actually playing my mum. It was a bit of inspired casting and she's just so lovely. She's a darling. How did you work together on portraying Christine and Miri's relationship? We did a group rehearsal before we started shooting and you don't often get that luxury. Normally the first time you meet the other actor is on set. So, because we had that, we already had our relationship set up from the beginning. We often got on the train back to London from Sheffield together too, and when I'd see her, I'd get her to sign with me and we just ended up having a bond. Tell us about Miri's history with Carly Miri and Carly were best friends as children. Obviously, this murder then forced them to fall apart in an instant. There is also a bit of grief in that because they never chose to not speak to each other, it was someone else making that choice for them. I don't think they ever got over it. Do you have a favourite moment that you can't wait for viewers to see? There's a moment where Miri meets Stephen properly and winds him up by using only sign language. I just love how deaf humour is a lot of taking the mick out of hearing people. Sorry about that, but that's what we do. That's what also got me excited about Billy writing the series. A deaf writer knows exactly what it's like from my perspective, and I have never had that before. I'm just excited for the audience to see it and to see that we can be funny, being deaf can be funny. Could you explain to people what a sign name is? In the Deaf community, we have a thing called a sign name which is similar to a hearing word, a nickname. Rather than us spending time spelling everyone's name, we have a sign name that becomes quite personal. So, mine is Rose [she signs with her thumb and forefinger pinched and three other fingers extended and moves her hand from one side of her mouth to the other] because it's a flower, and it's got a bit of thorn. But then, for example, Ruby could be a football because she loves football. It's very particular and personal to each person. Luke Snellin (Director) Tell us about Reunion. What drew you to the project? What drew me to Reunion was meeting Billy, and one of the things he started to talk about was how he wanted BSL and signing portrayed, how he wanted the deaf community to be portrayed on TV and deaf culture in general. For me, I didn't know much about any of those aspects before meeting Billy, but he was so passionate about it and that got me excited about the series. Now I feel even more passionate about the representation of the deaf community since I have come into direct contact with lots of amazing deaf actors and crew members. But it was Billy's passion for how the deaf community is portrayed on TV, in doing something big in scale and something cinematic but that had a deaf character at the front and centre, that first drew me in. How did you go about setting the tone for the series? On the surface, the tone and the genre of Reunion is familiar, we've seen thrillers before, we've seen road trip movies before, and we've seen revenge stories before. But at the heart of this series is this father-daughter story about family. There's also the amazing, unique perspective of how it feels to be a deaf man in prison, a deaf man re-entering the world after ten years and reconnecting with his daughter. So, on the one hand, there were a lot of universal themes but then on the other hand, it was really specific to deaf culture and the deaf community. We see Brennan cast out from the deaf community, estranged from his daughter, with seemingly no chance for redemption. How did you work with Matty to portray this on screen? The way I worked with Matty was quite instinctive. I know some sign language now so I could communicate sometimes without an interpreter. For more complex directions, I would work with Kat, Matty's brilliant interpreter, but generally me and Matty worked on quite an instinctive level. From the moment he was cast, I felt like he was perfect for Brennan, and I never wanted to interfere with that. He's got such natural charisma and ability that, for me, it was about gently pushing him in different directions. I also know that when Billy wrote the character, there were a lot of elements that stemmed from Matty and his personality. Matty informed the character of Brennan to a certain extent. So, I just wanted to empower him to deliver that. How did you feel knowing that this is a milestone in inclusive storytelling with multiple members of the cast being deaf or using BSL? I love that Reunion is an inclusive production, and it's one of the things that is most important to me personally. I made a show called Feel Good, which had a very LGBTQ+ centric cast and crew, and I've made other shows where it's similar in terms of diversity and showing communities that aren't always on the mainstream, I love trying to do justice to a world and its people and their way of life. When Billy asked me to direct, I thought long and hard about the idea of me as a hearing director, directing a show centred around deaf characters and that community. I wanted to immerse myself in deaf culture and in sign language - as there is a bilingual element, there are hearing characters, there is dialogue, but then there's also sign - to make sure we were making the series as authentically as possible. Deaf culture and the deaf community, for me, have been quite under-served on TV. I feel like, not only are we telling a story with a deaf protagonist and deaf cast members, but we're also working with some amazing deaf crew members as well, a lot of whom have been invaluable to us in making this and it's lovely to see the connection between the hearing crew and the deaf crew. There's still a long way to go in terms of real inclusivity, but I'm happy and glad that we were able to be inclusive of the deaf community on this, and it feels important to this show. Can you tell us three things audiences could look forward to in Reunion? There's a real sense of scale, scope and cinema in Reunion. We've seen the landscapes and Sheffield on screen before, but I don't think it's been shown like this. I also think audiences can look forward to is the relationship between Brennan and Carly, played by Matty Gurney and Lara Peake. Their connection and chemistry on screen is amazing and hopefully, that will resonate with audiences. We also get the sense of Carly being a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and Brennan being a deaf man who's released from prison, and that dynamic is interesting in terms of them reconnecting. Hearing audiences will also get an insight into what it means to be deaf and that experience because a lot of the show is from Brennan's point of view. Equally, deaf audiences will see a world portrayed on screen that isn't portrayed often and will see sign language in full force in a very naturalistic way. What is a sign name, and do you have a sign name? A sign name is a name that's given to you by the deaf community. My sign name is [he takes his index finger and drags it down his cheek from his eye] which is a mistaken way of signing 'sad' or 'being emotional' - because I would sign sad or emotion wrong when I first learned sign language. Everyone still knew what I meant, so no one told me that it was wrong for a couple of weeks until the name was given to me in the pub by Matty and Duffy. I love the fact that I've got a sign name, I felt quite emotional when I was given it. It's very special to me to be included. This job has changed my outlook on deaf culture and deaf people in general. I have a real love and affection for that community. The idea of having a sign name is important to me, and I'm very grateful and thankful. Why should people watch the show? Reunion is a deep, complex look at a father and daughter relationship set against the backdrop of Sheffield. It's full of intrigue and drama, and it has thriller elements, but at the core of it, it's a story about family and a father and a daughter, and what it means to be deaf and living in the world now. Mark Herbert and Gwen Gorst (Executive Producers) What was it about Billy's storytelling that first drew you to the project? Gwen: There is something genuinely engaging about Billy's writing because he writes characters in a grounded, non-heightened way, which makes it easy to get into the story. There's a beautiful central relationship with the father and daughter that pulls you straight through the story. I read it. Loved it. Sent it straight to Mark. Hopefully deaf audiences will see something familiar that they haven't seen on screen before, it will show hearing audiences a part of the world that maybe they haven't thought about before. How did you adapt the production process to accommodate requirements on set? Did you consult any organisations for guidance when you were starting this production? Gwen: We took a lot of advice through the whole production period because there are lots of things to take into consideration. We consulted with TripleC, who are dedicated to increasing disabled representation and inclusion in our industry. Very early onthey set up a deaf round table with deaf creatives just to talk about good and bad experiences these creatives had on set previously. We also did a lot of work with an organisation called The Deaf Set, who did all of our deaf awareness training that's been vital as everyone involved in the production has taken part in the training. We spoke to a lot of producers who've worked on bilingual productions, and we had a deaf access team on set who were central to everything, making sure that we had the interpreters we needed every day. Additionally, we also had a whisper track, which was one of the interpreters reading out everything that was being signed on screen so that everything worked fluently as a fully bilingual set. The series is set against the Yorkshire backdrop. How does the location add to the story? Mark: Talking to Billy, it was clear how important the locations were, and one of the things that was amazing in this production was that it's not just showing the grimy bits of Sheffield that are often shown on TV, but it's actually showing the beauty in the Peak District. It was important to him to show a mixture of the two. Billy wanted to show Sheffield's beauty as well as its industrial heart and I love that contrast. I'm a big believer in shooting stuff on location when you can. It helps everybody. And looking at what we've filmed, it's singing off the screen. How important is inclusive storytelling for you? Why this story? Why now? Mark: It's been important from day one. Not just the characters in the stories, but the people telling the stories. As a production company we've always embraced working-class stories, stories from outsiders. We don't focus on the classic heroic characters. We like people with flaws because that's what people are like in real life. If you look at our last 20 years of work from Four Lions through to This is England through to our last film, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, there's a real sense of characters that are coming from somewhere with something to say. It's important that audiences see a perspective they don't normally see. What I loved about Billy is he wanted Reunion to be different from a lot of stories you see about the deaf community. It's not all about light and joy, sometimes it can be quite dark and that just sings off the page. The big thing for us is even the darkest stories have huge hearts, and that's what we saw with this. Ultimately, it's not about trying to identify diversity for the sake of it, it's got to be a great, entertaining ride and that's what this was from day one. I also love the fact that this was, not only an important story about the deaf community in a perspective I'd never read before, but it was entertaining and thrilling. It's a prime-time story. It's a story for both hearing and deaf audiences, because ultimately, the story is an absolute rollercoaster, and that, coupled with the perspective of a deaf protagonist, it's a real sweet spot for us. Gwen: Our lead happens to be deaf, as opposed to it being a show about being deaf, which makes a huge difference. One thing that a lot of the cast have pointed out as well is how, even though there have been little bits of representation for deaf actors in TV and film over the last few years, it is great to see that number one on the call sheet is a deaf actor. Why do you think Reunion appeals to an audience? Gwen: At the heart of it is an amazing central relationship. It's a relationship that you'll love. It will break your heart, and you'll just want to watch that throughout.
