A popular BBC drama featuring Daniel Craig and Christopher Eccleston is available to stream on BBC iPlayer11:43, 25 Jun 2026Updated 11:43, 25 Jun 2026A drama celebrated as "one of the greatest British TV series ever" is now available to stream.‌Our Friends in The North, which helped put stars such as Daniel Craig and Christopher Eccleston on the map, can be found on BBC iPlayer.‌The series follows the lives of four friends from Newcastle upon Tyne - university student Nicky (Christopher), his friends Geordie (Daniel) and Tosker (Mark Strong), and Nicky's girlfriend Mary, portrayed by Gina McKee.‌It charts the friends' lives across more than 30 years, spanning 1964 to 1995, tracking their journey from youth to middle age. Landmark real-life events such as the miners' strikes, general elections and the great storm of 1987 serve as the backdrop, with the show also chronicling the shifting political landscape across Britain.Our Friends in The North first aired in 1996, and countless critics have since hailed it as one of the finest series ever made, reports the Manchester Evening News. "A landmark British series," one viewer wrote on IMDb.com. "This is truly one of the finest series to come out of Britain."‌Another remarked: "The acting is outstanding, particularly from Christopher Eccleston, Daniel Craig and Gina McKee who have all become very successful, in part, no doubt, due to this series... Moving, gritty, realistic Our Friends in the North is a must-see.""What a real tour de force of British television," added another admirer. "I love these 80s and 90s dramas and this one is probably one of the best I've seen. It's long, dark, gritty, dialogue heavy and all the characters' stories interact so beautifully."The writing is second to none and when people say 'they don't make them like this anymore' ... with regards to this, never before or since! Just watch it. It's perfect TV."‌"This series is excellent, both heartwarming and tragic," remarked one viewer, while another described it as "an excellent drama" and advised: "Put aside a weekend... and lock out the world.""One of the finest moments of British television and any other television for that matter," declared another impressed viewer, hailing it "a masterpiece". "First class acting, wonderful use of music to depict the time period and marvellous production values make this one of the viewing events that will stay forever in your memory since after watching this, it will be hard to find anything better."‌One fan labelled the series "sprawling, epic, jaw-dropping, moving", adding: "Our Friends in the North is unparalleled.""Still one of the best pieces of television ever made," one person posted on Reddit, with another wholeheartedly agreeing: "I'm struggling to think of anything that tops it for me." "One of the greatest British TV series ever," chimed in yet another viewer."Absolutely stand out TV," posted another devoted fan. "Made a real impression on me as a teenager at the time, and I thought they captured the moments in history perfectly. Real career high performances from the whole cast too, many who went on to do great things as well."Article continues belowOur Friends in the North is available on BBC iPlayer