A 12-year-old girl sings her way from Cardiff docks to global stardom — but fame demands everything.
Shirley is the youngest of eight children from a mixed race marriage. By the time she is a toddler the family have moved to the all white area of Splott and by the time she is 12 Shirley has discovered she has an extraordinary voice and can earn money singing in pubs around the docks after her father if jailed for sexual crimes. As a young teenager she begins singing and dancing in 'coloured review shows'. But it is a chance meeting with struggling agent Mike Sullivan that changes her life forever. He promises to make her a star, but has no idea of the personal sacrifice that will mean for the teenaged Shirley.
Acting
Ruth Negga's volcanic presence before she was famous.
Production
Cardiff docks recreated with zero nostalgia, all soot.
Director
Colin Teague
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ruth Negga recorded all vocals herself after training with Bassey's actual coach; Dame Shirley refused to watch it.
Filmed in Splott where Bassey grew up, the area was still so economically depressed that locals were hired as extras playing 1950s versions of themselves.
GB
