BBC bosses are reportedly already planning more heartbreaking ‘Best Interests’-style TV shows.
BBC bosses are said to be planning more heartbreaking ‘Best Interests’-style TV shows
The four-part drama currently airing on BBC One is garnering praise from critics and audiences and tells of Nicci, played by Sharon Horgan, 52, and Andrew (Michael Sheen, 54) fighting in the courts to stop their daughter Marnie – who has a life-threatening condition – being allowed to die by doctors who think it is in her “best interests”.
A TV insider told The Sun: “There are so many variations on the topic of court cases concerning what is in the best interests of an individual.
“In the current series, it’s a child, but it could be elderly people, or people with disabilities, or other adults suffering from conditions where a court has to decide what is the best course of action.
“It’s a difficult topic but the BBC feels it in safe hands with Jack.
“It’s early days though, and there are so many parts to put in place.”
Niamh Moriarty, 16, who has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia, appears as Marnie in ‘Best Interests’ alongside Sharon and Michael.
Many have drawn parallels between the show and the tragic real-life case of Archie Battersbee, whose life support was switched off in 2022 following a battle between his parents and Archie's medical team.
The Sun added new actors would likely be brought in for future shows on similar themes, but said the show’s writer, Jack Thorne, 44, would stay on.
Sharon told The Guardian how the terror she felt when her daughter contracted meningitis when she was young fed into her performance on the series.
She said: “While we thought we might lose her – as I was watching them trying to find a vein and get some antibiotics into her – I remember thinking, ‘I don’t care what happens – like, take off her limbs, whatever you need to do – just keep her alive.’”
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