Drama
Dirty War
The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Drama and Current Affairs departments have joined forces
to co-produce Dirty War, a drama presenting a hypothetical scenario
of a radiological 'dirty' bomb attack on London, written by Dan Percival
and Lizzie Mickery.
As the 'war on terror' becomes the defining issue of the early 21st
century, Dirty War confronts the reality of the situation faced by Britain
today.
Following the events of 9/11 and in Madrid in March 2004, both the
Metropolitan Police and MI5 have said that it is only a matter of time
before a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack is launched
on a Western city.
Dirty War is a fictional drama based on extensive research into the
preparations made by the UK's emergency planners, government and the
emergency services to deal with this threat.
While the film presents a hypothetical scenario of a terrorist attack
on London, its focus is the reaction to this attack - particularly by
the emergency services and government agencies - and the characters
caught up in the unfolding drama.
Dirty War blends drama and documentary techniques to offer a very human
and realistic insight into a terrifying fictional scenario.
FW
Silent Witness
After eight years of identifying victims and uncovering the culprits
behind a variety of gruesome deaths, Professor Sam Ryan (Amanda
Burton) bids farewell to the world of forensics when she is
forced to face her past and her reasons for doing her job.
Sam's departure results in promotions for her sidekicks, Dr Leo Dalton
(Will Gaminara) and Dr Harry Cunningham (Tom
Ward), and the introduction of new recruit Nikki Alexander
(Emilia Fox).
She is a driven, bright young archaeo-pathologist who shares their
unquenchable desire to uncover the truth.
CP
North And South
Set against the backdrop of Victorian England's industrial North, Daniela
Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage head the cast
in this adaptation by Sandy Welch of Elizabeth Gaskell's passionate
love story, North And South.
Margaret (Denby-Ashe) is a privileged, middle-class southerner who
is forced to settle in the northern town of Milton.
Her distaste for the town and its people extends to handsome and charismatic
cotton mill owner, John Thornton (Armitage), whom she believes epitomises
everything she dislikes about the North.
Over time, however, Margaret begins to settle in Milton, her social
conscience awakens, and she befriends some of the local mill workers,
learning about their poverty and workplace struggles.
As events conspire to throw Margaret and Thornton together, the two
spirited characters' repressed physical attraction for one another grows
- but they must conquer prejudices of class and circumstance.
A strong supporting cast includes Sinead Cusack, Lesley
Manville, Tim Pigott-Smith, Pauline
Quirke, Brendan Coyle, Jo Joyner
and Rupert Evans.
MO
Blackpool
David Morrissey, Sarah Parish and
David Tennant star in Peter Bowker's Blackpool, a startlingly
fresh musical drama about one man's ambition set in the 'Las Vegas of
the North'.
Flawed hero Ripley Holden (Morrissey) is a charismatic family man who
trained at the school of hard knocks.
He is poised to make top dollar as Blackpool reinvents itself as the
Las Vegas of the Lancashire coast.
But family life begins to take its toll on Ripley and, when the body
of a young man is found in his showpiece arcade, he finds himself brought
down by a series of events that spiral out of control.
Sarah Parish is Ripley's neglected wife, Natalie; John Thomson
is Terry Corlette, Ripley's close associate; Georgia Taylor
is Shyanne, Ripley's teenage daughter; and David Tennant is DI Carlisle,
the investigating officer who is determined to get to the truth, no
matter what it takes.
This bold, edgy and original drama serial combines entertaining storytelling
with familiar musical numbers.
AF
Spooks
Rupert Penry-Jones and Tim McInnerny
join the cast of the Bafta award-winning spy series.
The team is in disarray. Tom has disappeared in sensational circumstances
- and ZoΓ« and Danny don't know if they'll see him again - and Harry
is seriously injured. Was it treachery?
Newcomer Adam Carter (Penry-Jones) is recruited by Harry from MI6 to
galvanise the group into discovering the truth.
Spooks stars Matthew MacFadyen as Tom, Keeley
Hawes as ZoΓ«, David Oyelowo as Danny, Peter
Firth as Harry and Tim McInnerny as Oliver Mace.
The award-winning Spooks website returns to support the series at bbc.co.uk/spooks.
Viewers watching on digital TV can press the red button after the
show, where Harry will take them through a series of spy training modules
to prepare them for an interactive TV mission later in the series.
There is also an opportunity to get a sneak peak at forthcoming episodes
and win Spooks prizes.
JP
Monarch Of The Glen
Tom Baker and Simone Lahbib join
the acclaimed cast for another series of the feel-good Highland drama.
Baker plays unruly pensioner Donald MacDonald, who returns to his Highland
home after a 40-year absence.
Lahbib is career woman Isobel Anderson, who turns her back on the big
city to run her late grandmother's rundown croft.
Both homecomings bring with them a catalogue of surprises, not least
for the MacDonald family.
With the new laird, Paul Bowman, in place, Glenbogle faces a bright
new future.
The cast includes Monarch favourites Susan Hampshire,
Lloyd Owen, Dawn Steele, Hamish
Clark and Alexander Morton.
JM
Judge John Deed
Martin Shaw reprises his critically-acclaimed role of John Deed, the
judge who is not afraid to question the establishment, in a new series
of the drama written by Gordon Newman.
The eponymous judge has more than enough on his plate, not only in
his ongoing battles with the powers that be but also dealing with his
daughter, Charlie (Louisa Clein), who has followed
in her father's footsteps by embarking upon a legal career of her own.
Jo Mills (Jenny Seagrove) is also trying to balance
her home life and work life, with a new foster child to look after.
MH-S
A Thing Called Love
Paul Nicholls makes his debut in a leading role in
William Ivory's bold and surprising modern-day tale of one man's search
for true love, set in the vibrant city of Nottingham.
The serial charts hopeless romantic Gary Scant's (Nicholls) attempts
to comprehend the mysteries of the human heart.
Life seems almost perfect for painter and decorator Gary - he is close
to his earthy, working-class friends and family, and happy with his
long-term girlfriend, Mel (Kaye Wragg).
But when a night out with the lads from football takes an unexpected
turn, Gary's comfortable notions about true love are shattered.
This sets him on a quest to find his soul mate - and a love that demands
no compromise.
Joining him on his search is his close friend, Paula (Liz White),
the only person who truly understands him.
The cast also includes Ben Miles, Roy Barraclough,
Chris Gascoyne and Karl Collins.
It is currently filming in Nottingham.
CP
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