Joanne Froggatt is to lead the cast of ITV's upcoming COVID-19 drama 'Breathtaking'.
Joanne Froggatt to lead the cast of ITV's COVID drama Breathtaking
The 'Downton Abbey' star will portray a frontline hospital consultant in the upcoming series - which is co-written by 'Line of Duty' scribe and former junior hospital doctor Jed Mercurio - about an NHS doctor, Dr Abbey Henderson, caught in the eye of the storm during the early days of the pandemic.
Joanne said: "I feel truly honoured to be playing Dr Abbey Henderson in 'Breathtaking', based on Dr Rachel Clarke’s beautifully written, poignant and shocking book of the same name.
"When I first read the incredible scripts they moved me to tears on many occasions.
"I felt so passionately that I had to be a part of telling this story, the real story, of what was really happening behind the closed doors of the hospitals during the pandemic.
"Our NHS staff are nothing less than absolute heroes in my eyes, and I hope telling this story goes a little way towards us understanding their truth, their lived experience and honouring their unbelievable commitment and sacrifice on behalf of us all."
'Breathtaking' is based on palliative care doctor Dr Rachel Clarke's personal memoir of the same name, and was adapted for TV by Rachel and former junior hospital doctors Jed and Prasanna Puwanarajah.
Rachel said: "There is so much misinformation and rewriting of history around what really happened inside our hospitals during the pandemic.
"The truth is, NHS staff gave everything they had in impossible conditions that sometimes cost them their lives.
"It is an honour to try and depict the courage and decency of my NHS colleagues on screen, and I’m so grateful to ITV and HTM Television for giving me the chance to show the public the truth."
Jed added: "Everyone at HTM Television has felt privileged to dramatise Rachel Clarke’s hauntingly illuminating memoir of health workers struggling to cope with the extraordinary challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I’m honoured to have collaborated with Rachel and Prasanna on this important drama, and thrilled to be working with a cast led by Joanne Froggatt and crew led by director Craig Viveiros."
Filming on the three-part series - which is set in a fictional big-city hospital - was completed earlier this year.
Craig added: "I’m honoured to be working with Jed, Rachel and Prasanna on this timely, important project.
"After reading the first few pages of the script, I knew this was a project I wanted to be involved with. Its unique, bold and unflinching take on life on the front line during the pandemic was immediately captivating. I’m delighted to once again be working with Joanne Froggatt, her ability to effortlessly bring the humanity and empathy to any character she portrays meant she was the perfect performer to bring Abbey to life."
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