Russell T Davies BBC Viagra drama Men Up to star Joanna Page and Aneurin Barnard

Russell T Davies has announced a new drama series for BBC One about Viagra and the Welsh men who became the first people in the world to test it.

Men Up will feature a star cast including Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page, Dunkirk's Aneurin Barnard, Game Of Thrones' Iwan Rheon, and Killing Eve star Alexandra Roach.

Read more: Russell T Davies blasts 'rubbish' new screenwriters who 'don't actually love TV'

It follows a group of middle-aged Welsh men who have the extraordinary claim to fame of being the first people to trial a then unknown little blue pill, which later became famous worldwide as erectile dysfunction medication Viagra.

All suffering in silence with impotency, the men had tried everything to find a cure to their problem but were left feeling like failures when nothing worked.

Men Up tells the story of how they reclaimed their sex lives as pioneers of the drug that would go on to change lives around the world, under trials led by Dr Dylan Pearce (Barnard) and his clinical nurse Moira Davies (Page) at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital in 1994.

Starring as the men trialling Viagra are Meurig Jenkins (Rheon), Colin White (Steffan Rhodri), Tommy Cadogan (Paul Rhys), Peetham 'Pete' Shah (Phaldut Sharma) and Eddie O’Connor (Mark Lewis Jones), with Alexandra Roach and Lisa Palfrey playing two of their partners.

Read more: How you could be the proud owner of Pat Butcher's earrings

The drama is executive produced by Davies and written by Matthew Barry, who said: "Who knew that one of the first Viagra trials in the world took place in 1994...in Swansea!

"I’m beyond delighted to be working with Nicola (Shindler, executive producer), Russell, and the entire team to bring this extraordinary tale to the screen.

"People hear the word impotence, and they wait for the punchline. But this story is about so much more. And with an incredible Welsh cast, led by Iwan Rheon and Alexandra Roach, I can't wait to bring it to the screen."

Barry previously worked with Davies and Shindler on their acclaimed 2015 Channel 4 drama Banana.

BBC Cymru Wales head of commissioning Nick Andrews said: "It's almost too extraordinary to be true. And yet it is! Matt Barry's exquisite script has brought to life a precious true story, a social history, that will leave you punching the air with the sheer joy and triumph of it all. A truly Welsh story with global impact."