This City Is Ours star James Nelson-Joyce’s life from his glamorous singer girlfriend, dyslexia struggles and close friendship with Stephen Graham

A racy new BBC drama This City Is Ours kicked off on Sunday night and stars impressive actor James Nelson-Joyce.

The first episode launched straight into a saucy moment between Michael Kavanagh (James) and Diana Williams (Hannah Onslow).

Delving into the couple’s relationship, the gritty drama series follows the pair’s highs and lows as Michael balances his crumbling criminal career.

Consisting of eight episodes, This City Is Ours is set to air every Sunday evening on BBC One. 

It also stars Sean Bean as drugs kingpin Ronnie Phelan as well as Gavin and Stacey star Laura Aikman who plays Rachel Duffy, amongst others.  

James, 36, was born in Liverpool to a working class family and has struggled with dyslexia which he didn’t know he had while he was at school.

A racy new BBC drama This City Is Ours kicked off on Sunday night and stars impressive actor James Nelson-Joyce – who credits Stephen Graham (seen together) for kickstarting his career

Away from work James is in a relationship with glamorous jazz singer Olivia Frances Brown (seen last March)

He recently spoke in a new interview about how he got into acting, telling  YMLiverpool.com: ‘It was a bit of luck really. I was just a normal kid, playing football and that.

‘I fancied my English teacher and the only way I could get her attention was by putting on an accent when she’d ask someone to read aloud in class.

‘I didn’t know at the time that I was dyslexic and I felt uncomfortable reading, but I did it just to show off.’

That teacher then recognised his potential for acting and encouraged him to study at The City of Liverpool College.

His first big role was in 2017 where he played young gang member James Yates in Little Boy Blue before going on to star in The Outlaws, Industry, The Gold, A Town Called Malice, and prison drama Time – which also stars Sean Bean.

When working on the gripping drama Time, he also acted alongside Stephen Graham who played prison officer Eric McNally.

The pair had met years before while at Nando’s – with James saying the interaction changed his life. 

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he explained: ‘I went over and said ‘I’m a big fan, I’ve just left drama school and you’ve been really inspiring’.

This City Is Ours also stars Sean Bean (seen filming with James) as drugs kingpin Ronnie Phelan as well as Gavin and Stacey star Laura Aikman who plays Rachel Duffy, amongst others

When working on the gripping drama Time, he acted alongside Stephen Graham who played prison officer Eric McNally

Sean was the main character in the series Time (seen in a scene with James who played Johnno)

James and Olivia have been photographed at parties together and they appear on each other’s Instagrams (seen at Glastonbury last year)

‘He was with his wife and I thought I better leave them to it. His wife came back over to me and went ‘here’s my email let me know when you’re in stuff and we’ll watch out for you’.’

James then saw him years later when they were both starring in Little Boy Blue.

He said: ‘Three years later when we sat down for the read through of Little Boy Blue, Stephen was just looking at me and he mouthed ‘you’re that lad from Nando’s’.

‘He mouthed to me ‘boss that lad’, and put his thumbs up.’

While filming 2017 crime series Little Boy Blue Stephen encouraged James to audition for bigger roles and introduced him to his agent. 

They are now also starring together in A Thousand Blows on Netflix. 

Away from work James is in a relationship with jazz singer Olivia Frances Brown. 

They have been photographed at parties together and they appear on each other’s Instagrams. 

The first episode of This City Is Ours kicked off with a steamy phone sex scene on Sunday – but some viewers had a big complaint just moments into the premiere. 

In one of the first scenes of the instalment, the gangster is shown in a family planning clinic and is taken to a room to give a sperm sample. 

As soon as the door closes, he calls Diana, who is at a bar and asks if she can ‘give him some assistance’.

‘Some words of encouragement, seeing as we are in this together,’ he adds.

Diana moves into an empty room and says, ‘In that case, seeing as we are in this together, what if I joined you – so to speak?’

Michael replies, ‘Are you serious?’

The pair then engage in a steamy exchange over the phone and the scene ends with Michael placing his sample into a hatch. 

Consisting of eight episodes, This City Is Ours is set to air every Sunday evening on BBC One. 

However, after the first instalment aired many viewers shared a similar complaint about the sound quality. 

One posted on X: ‘What does a sound engineer do? Not very much, if this is an example of their work.’

Another described it as ‘poor’ and said: ‘I’m having to zoom the volume up and down all the time, is it my TV, my hearing, or just poor sound editing and muffled dialogue?’

While someone else commented: ‘Fed up already with turning the sound on the TV up and down.’

A fourth penned: ‘#thiscityisours is promising but they need to knock the soundtrack down a bit, can’t hear what’s being said sometime!’

Olivia is a jazz singer in Liverpool and has released her own music 

The first episode of This City Is Ours aired on Sunday evening and just five minutes in, it launched into a saucy moment between Michael Kavanagh (James), pictured, and Diana Williams (Hannah Onslow)

One viewer wrote: ‘#thiscityisours was looking forward to this but can’t stand the pointless pulsing DONG at tense scenes (as if we need to be told) too loud can’t hear the dialogue, time to mute.’

But some viewers praised the soundtrack and one said: ‘Bit slow. Soundtrack is fantastic. Cinematically looks brilliant.’

Another commented: ‘#thiscityisours been looking forward to the series and it was way better than I’d hoped for, great acting, great script and production and I bloody love Sean Bean. Off to watch E2.’

While someone else penned: ‘Well we thoroughly enjoyed the first episode #thiscityisours terrific acting … but then it stars Sean Bean need I say more.. intriguing story line plus recognising all local places featured. Sunday night TV just massively improved.’

This City Is Ours airs Sundays on BBC One at 9pm and is available to stream on iPlayer.