Crime drama is not portrayal of city I want to see, says mayor

A mayor has said he would like TV dramas set in his home city to focus on the “warmth” of the people, rather than “drugs, organised crime and criminal activity”.

Steve Rotheram, the metro mayor of the Liverpool city region, said he had just finished watching the second series of BBC One drama This City is Ours, which follows the fortunes of the fictional Phelan crime family, and is filmed across the area and in Spain.

Rotheram said the drama was “brilliant” and praised its “cinematic, film-like” quality and “top-notch” acting.

But he said that “overall” it was not a portrayal of his home city that he wanted to see, adding he felt characters were often reduced to negative stereotypes.

Last month, stars of the crime drama defended it against claims it showed the city in a negative light and glamourised a life of crime.

Earlier this year, acclaimed Liverpool-born producer Jimmy Mulville questioned whether a focus on crime drama shaped the city’s wider reputation, and whether it reflected the reality of life in Liverpool.

Crime dramas set in the city have proved extremely popular, and have provided a platform for local storytellers such as Tony Schumacher – who created The Responder – to reach a wide audience.

The first series of This City is Ours generated around £9m for the local economy, according to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

The production spent around 17 weeks filming during 2024, and generated or sustained about 300 jobs and introduced about 17 apprentices to the film industry, according to an impact report by the Liverpool Film Office.

Rotheram said: “We need to get away from the drugs and crime and organised crime and criminal activity to what most people are renowned for, which is the warmth of their welcome, their friendliness, their humour.

“And that’s what really the Liverpool City region is about for me.”

He added he thought “some of the Scouse accents were a bit dodgy”.