Sunday TV Choice: This City Is Ours (BBC One, 9pm) - Not your normal tale of romance

Everton FC will soon be leaving Goodison Park, their home since 1892, for a stunning new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, while only a catastrophic dip in form is likely to prevent their arch rivals Liverpool winning their 20th league title.

But before either of those events can happen, there’s a chance to see the city on the small screen in a new eight-part drama from Stephen Butchard, whose credits also include small-screen adaptations of Bernard Cornwell and CJ Sansom’s historic novels, as well as Five Daughters, Vincent and Good Cop.

“Liverpool, the city itself, is always a joy to visit and work in,” claims one of the show’s stars, Sean Bean, who has worked on Merseyside many times in the past. “It has been good to me and it has a special place in my heart. The people welcome you with open arms and that makes things so much easier for any production crew.

“They are proud to have you in their city, using their home as a location is recognition of its appeal. They are also grateful that the city’s economy benefits from being one of the most used places to film.

“The city looks brilliant on film, from the waterfront to Chinatown, and across to the Wirral. This City is Ours is a great title in many ways because it is defiant and triumphant.”

Bean plays Ronnie Phelan who, along with his wife Elaine (Julie Graham), runs a major crime empire with drug smuggling and dealing at its centre. But Ronnie is beginning to feel his age, and is considering retirement.

One of his most trusted lieutenants, Michael (James Nelson-Joyce), seems likely to take over, until Ronnie’s son Jamie decides he wants the job. But he’s something of a loose cannon, and a possible battle with a rival faction could cause further problems, which Michael would prefer to avoid – he’s in love for the first time and wants to plan for the future rather than be caught up in danger and violence in the present.

For Bean, taking the role of Ronnie was a no-brainer. “When I first received the script my immediate reaction was ‘I have got to be in this’. It is brutal – but it is very real.

“I like the crime genre,” adds the Sheffielder.

“Series such as Peaky Blinders and Line of Duty, the BBC do them well. I found this to be different, because it is not from the police point of view, but from the villains’ perspective, and we get to know why they do what they do. It is not gratuitous violence, the storylines are better than that.”

So, if he had to sum up the series in three words, what would they be?

Bean grins: “Unique – because it stands out in a strong field.

"Exciting – because you will be on the edge of your seat.

"New – because the storytelling is so fresh. At the end of the day, it’s a love story – but not your normal romance, it’s a brand new love story for now. People watching are going to love it, too.”