Mix Tape: What We Know About The BBC’s New Music Romance

Romance with a toe-tapping ‘80s soundtrack? We’re already sold on Mix Tape, the BBC’s latest acquisition set to air this summer. The heartwarming series – which spans the ‘80s to the present day – was winner of the SXSW 2025 TV Spotlight Audience Award. Here’s what you need to know.

MORE: Best Shows To Watch On BBC iPlayer Right Now

Mix Tape: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

The inaugural SXSW London just wrapped up in Shoreditch, a spin off from the Austin original which took place in March 2025 (and will return in March 2026). With a broader scope in Austin, creatives present new films, documentaries and TV series here, with the American audiences voting for their favourites. At SXSW 2025, screenwriter Jo Spain and director Lucy Gaffy bagged the TV Spotlight Audience Award for Mix Tape – though the subject matter hits much closer to British hearts…

What Is Mix Tape About?

Mix Tape is a four part romantic drama tracing the relationship between Daniel (Jim Sturgess) and Alison (Teresa Palmer), from their teenage years in 1989 Sheffield to the modern day reality of their adult relationships on opposite sides of the world.

Back then, Daniel (the younger version played by Rory Walton-Smith) was the first boy to make Alison (Florence Hunt) a mix tape, and the pair connected over music. But they burned bright and fast: Alison pushed Daniel away, and both eventually moved on.

Now Alison lives in Australia with her daughters, while Daniel lives in Ireland. She hasn’t thought about him in a very long time – and then his name pops up on her phone. He has shared a link to a song from their past, and for two blissful minutes Alison is whisked back to those heady years in Sheffield. She can’t help but reply with a song of her own. And thus a new mix tape forms – pieced together with childlike excitement and undeniable curiosity. Is this how it was always meant to be? Is this the love, and life, Daniel and Alison were meant to have all along?

The Cast

A small core cast makes up Mix Tape:

• Teresa Palmer as Alison
• Jim Sturgess as Daniel
• Florence Hunt as young Alison
• Rory Walton-Smith as young Daniel

Is It A True Story?

Mix Tape isn’t a true story – but it is based on a beloved novel of the same name written by Jane Sanderson, published in 2020. It’s all about the classic ‘one that got away’ trope, but told through music. And don’t worry: the BBC’s Sue Deeks confirms the TV adaptation will be ‘accompanied by an absolutely cracking 80s soundtrack’, creating ‘an enjoyable blend of nostalgia, romance and heartbreak’.

‘It really is the perfect summer treat!’ Sue says.

Where Was It Filmed?

Mix Tape was filmed in Dublin and Sydney from May to July 2024.

Release Date

Mix Tape was released on 12 June 2025 in Australia (on Binge), and will come to BBC iPlayer and BBC Two later this summer.