ENTERTAINMENT
The Split Up: episode one + Q&A: London visitor guide
See the opening episode of The Split Up at BFI Southbank, followed by a discussion with members of the cast and creative team. This is an in-person London preview, not a confirmed television transmission time.
The essentials, in one place
Choose your date, check your ticket and plan the journey.
- Date
- 16 Sept 2026
- Venue
- BFI Southbank South Bank
- What time does it start?
- Start time not confirmed here London local time. A door opening time is not a stage time.
- Tickets
- Ticketed; check BFI Availability and prices can change.
Access, line-up and the journey home
- Access
- 60-minute episode; total event 100 minutes; check performance access
- Finish and running time
- A finish time has not been confirmed here. Check the venue programme before arranging your journey home.
- Return journey
- Use your actual departure date and time in the journey planner, especially if you expect to leave after midnight.
- Date
- 16 September 2026
- Director
- Shamim Sarif
- Cast
- Ritu Arya · Sanjeev Bhaskar
- Episode
- BBC · 2026 · 60 minutes
- Total event
- 100 minutes
What the story is about
The drama follows a British South-Asian family law firm working in Manchester’s high-value divorce world. Aria Kishan is preparing to take over from her father when a surprise announcement and a returning former partner disturb that succession. It builds on the world of The Split rather than presenting a real legal advice session.
Who is confirmed
BFI names director Shamim Sarif and actors Ritu Arya and Sanjeev Bhaskar. The preview advertises a conversation with key cast and creative team, but that wording should not be treated as a guarantee that every credited performer will attend. Check the organiser’s latest guest notice close to the event.
A useful duration distinction
The episode is 60 minutes, while BFI gives the overall event as 100 minutes. Plan for that full event allocation, plus arrival and departure, rather than leaving after an assumed one-hour visit. The published running time is not the start time; confirm the actual performance slot on the ticket selection screen.
Who it suits
Choose this if you enjoy character-led television drama and want to hear how a series is made. It is less suited to a quick stop between other bookings, because leaving before the discussion would remove much of the preview’s distinctive value. Age guidance and access arrangements should be checked with BFI.
Before you book
Open the direct BFI event page, select the performance and read the final ticket summary. The public information checked here does not establish a reliable start time or current ticket price. Neither a preview listing nor a booking button guarantees remaining seats. Save the time and auditorium printed on your confirmation; do not use the film runtime as the duration of the entire visit.
Build a South Bank visit
BFI Southbank is the destination, not the separate BFI IMAX cinema. Waterloo is a useful arrival point; Embankment and Charing Cross are alternatives across the river. Choose the route that works from your actual starting point and check TfL before leaving. Keep a pre-screening meal nearby and make any longer riverside walk an optional extra, particularly in rain.
Accessibility and planning
Use BFI’s access information and contact the box office before booking if you need a wheelchair space, companion arrangement or an accessible screening format. A film having English subtitles does not by itself confirm descriptive subtitles or audio description. Check the particular performance, protect time for arrival and keep a return-travel alternative.
Not a TV schedule
The 16 September entry describes a cinema event in London. No BBC channel, transmission date or streaming release time is inferred from it. Use the separate TV guide for official broadcaster schedules.
