Dope Girls arrived on BBC One in February 2025 as a bold new period drama. Described as a “female answer to Peaky Blinders”, the six-part series plunged viewers into the hedonistic underworld of post-World War One Soho. In 2026, searches for “Dope Girls” remain popular as new audiences discover the show on iPlayer and Hulu. [citation:1][citation:5]
The series follows a newly widowed mother who builds a cocaine-fuelled nightclub empire. It features stunning performances from an acclaimed cast. However, Dope Girls was axed after just one season despite a cult following. Therefore, this guide covers everything about the show’s cast, true story, filming locations, and cancellation.
What Is Dope Girls About?
Set in 1918 London, Dope Girls follows Kate Galloway, a quiet widow who loses her husband and home. She moves to Soho with her teenage daughter Evie. There, she becomes entangled in the underground nightclub scene. Kate transforms from a desperate mother into a ruthless club owner and cocaine empire builder. [citation:4][citation:5]
The series explores a forgotten moment in history. Men returned from World War One expecting to reclaim their pre-war roles. But women had other plans. They seized opportunities in Soho’s illicit clubland. The BBC teases: “Dope Girls depicts in visceral delicious detail the birth of the modern nightlife industry guided and gilded by hard fought female endeavour.” [citation:1]
Dope Girls Cast and Characters
Julianne Nicholson as Kate Galloway
Nicholson plays the lead character, a widow who becomes Soho’s most dangerous woman. The actress is best known for Mare of Easttown, Law & Order, and Paradise. Despite her Irish accent occasionally wandering, critics praised her “steely determination” and “impressive gusto” delivering lines like “you pencil-d*cked little f***.” [citation:5][citation:7]
Eliza Scanlen as Violet Davies
Scanlen plays an undercover officer in the first wave of female policewomen. She is assigned to infiltrate Soho’s nightclubs. Viewers will recognise the Australian actress from Sharp Objects and Little Women (as Beth March). Her character is “not averse to scheming her way to the top via any means necessary.” [citation:3][citation:7]
Umi Myers as Billie Cassidy
Myers plays Kate’s estranged daughter, an artist and dancer. The British actress describes Billie as “a pioneer” who performs things others wouldn’t dare. She has previously appeared in Silent Witness and the Bob Marley biopic One Love. [citation:7]
Characters
Eilidh Fisher as Evie Galloway
Fisher plays Kate’s teenage daughter. She leaves boarding school to join her mother in Soho. The Scottish actress has also appeared in Call The Midwife in 2019. She told the BBC: “Dope Girls is about embracing chaos and destruction in order to achieve empowerment at all costs.” [citation:1][citation:7]
Geraldine James as Isabella Salucci
James plays the menacing matriarch of a Sicilian crime family. Her performance is “far removed from her regal portrayal in Downton Abbey.” The OBE-winning actress has also appeared in Anne with an E and Calendar Girls. [citation:5][citation:7]
Michael Duke as Eddie Cobb
Duke plays a bohemian cabaret performer. One critic noted he “exudes the same magnetism as the women he sashays around.” This is one of Duke’s first TV roles after performing in the West End. [citation:5][citation:7]
The supporting cast includes Dustin Demri-Burns, Rory Fleck Byrne, Ian Bonar, Nabhaan Rizwan, Priya Kansara, Will Keen and Sebastian Croft. [citation:1][citation:3]
Is Dope Girls Based on a True Story?
Each episode of Dope Girls states the series is “inspired by a forgotten time in history” but “all events and characters are fictional.” The show takes its title from Marek Kohn’s non-fiction book “Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground.” [citation:8]
However, the character Kate Galloway is very loosely inspired by Kate Meyrick. Meyrick was an Irish woman who built a nightclub empire after World War One. She became known as “the most dangerous woman in London.” [citation:4][citation:8]
After separating from her husband, Meyrick found herself as a single mother of eight children with less than £1 per week. In 1919, she opened her first club in Leicester Square. Over 13 years, she made a fortune and served five prison sentences. Her clubs were places where customers could access the booming recreational drugs market. She died in 1933 at age 57. [citation:4]
The series also draws from the real history of the first female police officers. The first British woman appointed as a police officer with full arrest powers came in 1915. The London Metropolitan Police recruited 110 women in 1919. However, these recruits did not have the powers of arrest. By 1922, their numbers were cut to just 24. [citation:8]
Co-writer Alex Warren told Radio Times: “We went to the National Archives… leafing through old police records. The things that real people did make our world now seem so boring and tame by comparison. More extreme things than we could ever even put in a BBC show.” [citation:8]
Where Was Dope Girls Filmed?
Surprisingly, none of 1918 Soho was filmed within 150 miles of London. The series was shot primarily in South Wales. An old Nightingale Hospital in Bridgend was transformed into a recreation of 1918 Soho, including a total reconstruction of Gerrard Street. [citation:10]
The opening Trafalgar Square sequence was filmed using a volume stage at Bad Wolf’s studio in Cardiff. The show’s nightclub scenes were shot at Margam Castle in Port Talbot (a Tudor Gothic mansion also seen in Doctor Who). Swansea Guildhall stood in for New Scotland Yard. Merthyr Mawr House in Bridgend served as Kate’s rural cottage before she moved to London. [citation:10]
Director Shannon Murphy calls the show “period-shmeriod.” She told Time Out: “I don’t want to have arguments about door handles or whether someone would wear tights at the time. I’m like, if it looks great, we’re doing it.” [citation:5][citation:10]
Why Was Dope Girls Cancelled?
Dope Girls was axed after just one season despite hopes from fans for a second. A TV insider told The Sun: “There was quite a lot of shock among viewers about the content of the show, and critics weren’t exactly glowing either.” The show received complaints about on-screen sex, violence, and drugs. [citation:9]
Viewers on X were divided. One called it “a load of drivel” and “messy.” Another wrote: “Managed 32 minutes then called it a day. The new female Peaky Blinders it’s not.” However, some enjoyed it. One fan said: “Stylish, thrilling and dazzling in equal measure. Great to see a gangster flick with women at the forefront.” [citation:9]
A BBC spokesperson confirmed: “Dope Girls was a bold and groundbreaking series – which we are very proud of – but we can confirm that it will not return.” [citation:9]
Despite the cancellation, many fans were disappointed. One wrote on Reddit: “I’m really bummed there won’t be a 2nd season.” Another agreed: “Same! I really hate that it’s been cancelled.” [citation:1]
Where to Watch Dope Girls
All six episodes of Dope Girls are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK. In the United States, the series arrived on Hulu on 29 July 2025. The show is also available to purchase on Amazon Prime Video in some regions. [citation:2][citation:3]
The series currently holds an 88% Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised its “punkier, dreamier, and queerer” approach to the period drama genre. [citation:3][citation:5]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Dope Girls based on a true story?
It is inspired by real historical events and figures, but the characters and specific events are fictional.
Who plays Kate in Dope Girls?
Julianne Nicholson, known for Mare of Easttown and Paradise, plays the lead role of Kate Galloway.
Will there be a season 2 of Dope Girls?
No. The BBC confirmed the series will not return for a second season.
How many episodes of Dope Girls are there?
There are six episodes in the limited series.
Is Dope Girls on Netflix?
No. In the UK it streams on BBC iPlayer. In the US it streams on Hulu.
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