BBC Acquires Series Chronicling Beatles' Early Career in Germany

The BBC has obtained the six-part drama series Hamburg Days, which chronicles the Beatles formative years performing in the lively, smoke-filled clubs of Hamburg, Germany. The narrative draws inspiration from the autobiography of Klaus Voormann, the musician and producer closely linked to the band, who lived with them in London during the early 1960s, designed the iconic Revolver album cover, and contributed to solo projects by John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr after the group disbanded.

Voormann, now 87, served as a consultant for the series. Set in Hamburgs St. Pauli district during the early 1960s, the show depicts a young, unpolished Liverpool band intersecting with two artists, Klaus Voormann and early Beatles photographer Astrid Kirchherr. Their influence is portrayed as pivotal in transforming a group of teenage musicians into what would become one of the worlds most legendary bands.

Sue Deeks, the BBCs head of scripted pre-buy acquisitions, described the series as a captivating account of how, over just two years, a raw Liverpool band refined their craft in Hamburg before returning home to achieve instant global fame, all accompanied by an incredible soundtrack.

The series will be available on BBC One and the iPlayer, though a release date has not yet been confirmed. No casting details have been announced. Direction will be led by Christian Schwochow (known for The Crown), alongside Mat Whitecross (Oasis: Supersonic, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams), with music composed by David Holmes (Oceans Thirteen, Good Vibrations).

This new series revisits the era previously depicted in the 1994 film Backbeat, which focused on the relationship between early bassist Stu Sutcliffe and John Lennon. Hamburg Days joins a growing collection of Beatles projects, including the recent remastered Beatles Anthology with a newly added ninth chapter, and director Sam Mendes ambitious four-part series The Beatles a Four-Film Cinematic Event, scheduled for April 2028, exploring the lives of Lennon, Harrison, Starr, and McCartney individually.

Author: Jackson Miller