Swaps soap for Santa: Daniel Coll directs The Santa Express film
Daniel Coll is trading the soap beat for Santa duties this winter. The former Emmerdale detective has written himself the lead role, the director’s chair, and the production credit on The Santa Express film, a low-budget British Christmas story built around heritage trains, second chances, and a cast that spans punk pop, Doctor Who, and Coronation Street. Filming is locked for October 2026 on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, with a Christmas release planned the same year.
Coll’s career pivot
Coll has spent decades in British television and theatre. He played recurring DI Frank Blackmore on Emmerdale, originated a role in Billy Elliot The Musical, and appeared in Braveheart. He also directed and produced Macbeth, which won Best Director at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. The Santa Express film marks the first time he has combined all three jobs on a single feature.
His personal history adds weight to the project. After a 2015 car accident left him homeless and suffering from PTSD, Coll returned to filmmaking through Sheffield Hallam’s MA program and his own company, Picture Point Films. The Santa Express film sits at the intersection of that recovery and his long-standing interest in Yorkshire stories.
Writer Dave Thorp’s script gives Coll the character Bob Browning, a man who wishes to play Father Christmas on a local steam railway and is pulled into a world of elves, trains, and holiday wonder. Coll says the story is meant to deliver both family entertainment and genuine emotion.
Heritage railway setting
Principal photography will run roughly October 5–25, 2026, centered on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and locations in York. The line supplies steam locomotives, period stations, and winter landscapes that the production team describes as impossible to replicate on a studio backlot.
Coll has stressed the importance of keeping the film “proudly Yorkshire.” The choice also keeps costs low and gives the project a visual identity distinct from Hollywood CGI spectacles such as The Polar Express. Extras are being recruited locally, and a paid cameo for a trained Beagle is listed among open calls.
Picture Point Films is handling the production without major studio backing. The modest budget forces practical choices, but it also preserves creative control and keeps the story rooted in the region where Coll lives and works.
Peter Purves as Father Christmas
At nearly 87, Peter Purves steps into the red suit for the first time. Viewers know him as Steven Taylor, companion to the first Doctor, and as a longtime Blue Peter presenter. He has described the role as “something totally new” at his age.
Purves brings immediate recognition to older British audiences and to American Doctor Who fans who follow classic series releases. His casting also signals the film’s aim to span generations without relying on nostalgia alone.
Coll and Purves have both spoken about presenting Father Christmas as warm, humorous, and slightly mysterious, someone children can believe in and adults can remember believing in.
Toyah Willcox joins the cast
Toyah Willcox adds music-industry pedigree and a distinctive screen résumé. Her hits with the band Toyah and solo singles such as “It’s a Mystery” reached U.S. charts in the early 1980s. Film roles in Quadrophenia and Jubilee give her further visibility among cult-cinema viewers.
Her presence widens the film’s appeal beyond traditional holiday audiences. Willcox has not commented publicly on her character yet, but the production notes list her among the principal ensemble.
The combination of punk-era pop star, soap regulars, and classic television figures creates a cast list that reads like a British television reunion rather than a standard Christmas movie assembly.
Soap and Irish talent
Coronation Street actors Victoria Ekanoye and Lisa George appear alongside Andy Dunn from Dinnerladies and Olwen May from The Bay. Joe Savino, known as Liam in Ballykissangel, and Irish stage performer Fiona Sinnott round out the ensemble.
The Irish connection is deliberate. Savino and Sinnott bring audiences familiar with Ballykissangel on PBS and BBC America, while Sinnott’s West End credits, including Aspects of Love, add theatrical weight.
Victoria Ekanoye is also attached to Coll’s upcoming project Falcon, suggesting ongoing collaboration among several of the performers beyond this single film.
Low-budget logistics
Without studio infrastructure, the production is seeking unpaid extras through local listings. The approach is common for regional indies but requires clear communication about working conditions and schedule.
Picture Point Films has released a public appeal for a trained Beagle for a paid cameo, an unusual but practical detail that has already generated local press coverage. The dog will appear in scenes set around the heritage railway.
Coll has experience managing tight resources from earlier documentaries and the Macbeth adaptation. He has said the constraints push the team toward inventive solutions rather than scaled-down expectations.
Market positioning
The Santa Express film is being framed as an alternative to big-studio holiday releases. Its emphasis on real steam trains, regional identity, and an ensemble of recognizable British faces differentiates it from CGI-driven fantasies aimed at global multiplexes.
Christmas 2026 falls on a Friday, extending the theatrical window and giving streamers time to acquire the title for the following holiday cycle. Early materials are already circulating among U.S. journalists who cover British television exports.
Coll’s press quotes stress shared family viewing rather than niche appeal. The strategy mirrors successful low-budget British titles that later found wider audiences through word-of-mouth and streaming algorithms.
Release timeline
Principal photography concludes by late October 2026. Post-production will run through spring and summer, targeting a Christmas theatrical release in the UK and selected U.S. markets.
Picture Point Films retains worldwide rights, leaving open the possibility of self-distribution or a streaming deal closer to delivery. Coll has indicated that festival play is secondary to a seasonal cinema run.
Marketing materials, including cast stills and behind-the-scenes footage from the railway, are expected once filming begins. The modest budget limits traditional advertising, so social media and regional press will carry much of the early awareness.
Next steps for the production
Coll’s next project, Falcon, is already in development and shares at least one cast member with The Santa Express film. The overlap suggests a growing slate for Picture Point Films rather than a one-off seasonal effort.
Whether the film travels beyond Yorkshire will depend on word-of-mouth and the strength of its central performances. Coll has built a career on persistence after setbacks; this production tests whether that same persistence can translate into a durable holiday property.
