Doctor Rachel Clarke and ex-junior doctors Jed Mercurio and Prasanna Puwanarajah have teamed up to make Covid drama Breathtaking, here’s the trailer.
It is perhaps no surprise that following the most tumultuous, traumatic time in our recent history, writers quickly opened Final Draft and began to try to make some sense of it all.
Jack Thorne’s astonishingly powerful film Help, which starred Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham, shone a light on the brutal reality or running a care home during the pandemic.
Michael Winterbottom and Keiron Quirke aimed their anger at the political side of things, with Kenneth Branagh playing Boris Johnson in mini series This England, while writer Stephen Knight and director Doug Liman took a more lighthearted approach with comedy drama Lockdown, which saw Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor stage a diamond heist in Harrods.
Jed Mercurio is no stranger to medical dramas, drawing on his...
It is perhaps no surprise that following the most tumultuous, traumatic time in our recent history, writers quickly opened Final Draft and began to try to make some sense of it all.
Jack Thorne’s astonishingly powerful film Help, which starred Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham, shone a light on the brutal reality or running a care home during the pandemic.
Michael Winterbottom and Keiron Quirke aimed their anger at the political side of things, with Kenneth Branagh playing Boris Johnson in mini series This England, while writer Stephen Knight and director Doug Liman took a more lighthearted approach with comedy drama Lockdown, which saw Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor stage a diamond heist in Harrods.
Jed Mercurio is no stranger to medical dramas, drawing on his...
- 2/8/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
A character describes the complicated process of a financial transfer to another character in ITV’s latest crime drama miniseries, Payback. The person to whom it is being explained wonders if the process is too confusing. The word he specifically uses is “convoluted”. I would describe the plot of Payback with the same words, but I would preface it by adding a “needlessly” before it. I admit that I don’t exactly understand the nitty-gritty of finance, but I am sure that’s the case for most of the viewers other than people working in that field. The thing is, Payback has a lot of money-related matters going on in its narrative, and it throws around quite a lot of jargon, which kind of goes over your head. It would have been alright if all these were actually important to understand the main plot, but as you keep watching the series,...
- 10/10/2023
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
Karol G has added more dates to her Mañana Será Bonito stadium tour. This is the singer’s first-ever set of stadium performances in the United States. The tour is scheduled to begin on August 11 in Las Vegas before ending on September 7 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The trek is named after the Colombian star’s reggaeton album released in February 2023. The LP contained “Tqg” with Shakira, which became Karol G’s first top-10 single on the US Billboard Hot 100. Mañana Será Bonito was also the first all-Spanish language album by a woman to reach number one on the US Billboard 200.
Karol G also found success in 2022 with her Strip Love tour becoming the highest-grossing US tour by a Latin woman in history. In 33 shows across North America, it earned $69.9 million, more than both Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.
The star will also break another record even before her tour officially starts,...
The trek is named after the Colombian star’s reggaeton album released in February 2023. The LP contained “Tqg” with Shakira, which became Karol G’s first top-10 single on the US Billboard Hot 100. Mañana Será Bonito was also the first all-Spanish language album by a woman to reach number one on the US Billboard 200.
Karol G also found success in 2022 with her Strip Love tour becoming the highest-grossing US tour by a Latin woman in history. In 33 shows across North America, it earned $69.9 million, more than both Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.
The star will also break another record even before her tour officially starts,...
- 7/28/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
Exclusive: Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio has penned an ITV drama about a doctor in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic starring Joanne Froggatt.
Mercurio co-wrote Breathtaking with Rachel Clarke, the author of the 2021 novel that the show is based on, and Prasanna Puwanarajah, who played Martin Bashir in The Crown Season 5. All three are qualified doctors.
Filming wrapped quietly earlier this year in Belfast.
Breathtaking is based on Clarke’s unflinching memoir having looked after the most gravely unwell patients in the early days of the pandemic. Amid the tensions, fatigue and rising death toll, she witnessed the courage of patients and NHS staff alike in conditions of unprecedented adversity.
Golden Globe-winner Froggatt, who most recently starred in James Graham’s BBC drama Sherwood, played lead Dr Abbey Henderson and Craig Viveiros (The War of the Worlds) was director.
“Everyone has felt privileged to dramatise Rachel Clarke...
Mercurio co-wrote Breathtaking with Rachel Clarke, the author of the 2021 novel that the show is based on, and Prasanna Puwanarajah, who played Martin Bashir in The Crown Season 5. All three are qualified doctors.
Filming wrapped quietly earlier this year in Belfast.
Breathtaking is based on Clarke’s unflinching memoir having looked after the most gravely unwell patients in the early days of the pandemic. Amid the tensions, fatigue and rising death toll, she witnessed the courage of patients and NHS staff alike in conditions of unprecedented adversity.
Golden Globe-winner Froggatt, who most recently starred in James Graham’s BBC drama Sherwood, played lead Dr Abbey Henderson and Craig Viveiros (The War of the Worlds) was director.
“Everyone has felt privileged to dramatise Rachel Clarke...
- 7/25/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The year is brand new, and civilian killings by police officers continue unabated. In 2022, police killed at least 1,192 people, the highest number ever recorded, according to the Mapping Police Violence database. A hundred of those people were unarmed. Black people were three times more likely than white people to be killed, although they were 1.3 times more likely to be unarmed.
As the first month of 2023 draws to a close, the nation is once again confronting the tragedy of a killing at the hands of men who pledged to protect and serve their community.
As the first month of 2023 draws to a close, the nation is once again confronting the tragedy of a killing at the hands of men who pledged to protect and serve their community.
- 1/31/2023
- by Andrea Marks
- Rollingstone.com
Distributor Hat Trick International (Hti) has closed multiple international sales on ITV series “Di Ray,” from “Line of Duty” creator Jed Mercurio’s Htm Television.
Both seasons of the crime drama, created and written by former “Line of Duty” actor Maya Sondhi, have been acquired by PBS Distribution in a multi-rights deal that will see it broadcast across PBS’s 330+ member stations in the U.S. and streaming on PBS Passport, the PBS Video app and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. The deal was brokered by Germaine Sweet, PBS Distribution’s managing director of content acquisitions and Jonathan South, Hti’s North American senior sales executive.
“Di Ray,” executive produced by Mercurio, debuted to strong ratings in 2022 as a 4 x 60′ series on U.K. broadcaster ITV, leading to a second season order of six episodes. Set in Birmingham, the series revolves around Rachita Ray, a Leicester-born police officer who...
Both seasons of the crime drama, created and written by former “Line of Duty” actor Maya Sondhi, have been acquired by PBS Distribution in a multi-rights deal that will see it broadcast across PBS’s 330+ member stations in the U.S. and streaming on PBS Passport, the PBS Video app and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. The deal was brokered by Germaine Sweet, PBS Distribution’s managing director of content acquisitions and Jonathan South, Hti’s North American senior sales executive.
“Di Ray,” executive produced by Mercurio, debuted to strong ratings in 2022 as a 4 x 60′ series on U.K. broadcaster ITV, leading to a second season order of six episodes. Set in Birmingham, the series revolves around Rachita Ray, a Leicester-born police officer who...
- 1/31/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
British actor Prasanna Puwanarajah is on a career high with a starring turn in the new season of “The Crown” and his feature directorial debut “Ballywalter” beginning its festival journey by opening the Belfast Film Festival.
Puwanarajah is of Tamil Sri Lankan heritage and has used aspects of his background to inform both his role in “The Crown” and his directing turn on “Ballywalter,” he tells Variety.
In “The Crown,” Puwanarajah plays British journalist Martin Bashir, who conducted the infamous and now disreputed 1995 BBC “Panorama” interview with Princess Diana. Bashir is of Pakistani heritage.
“It’s very rare that as an actor you are using the full range of your physical and spiritual and heritage offer — particularly in the way that casting can happen, where it can feel quite last minute and diversity can feel like, as Riz Ahmed puts it, an optional extra, where people aren’t really looking...
Puwanarajah is of Tamil Sri Lankan heritage and has used aspects of his background to inform both his role in “The Crown” and his directing turn on “Ballywalter,” he tells Variety.
In “The Crown,” Puwanarajah plays British journalist Martin Bashir, who conducted the infamous and now disreputed 1995 BBC “Panorama” interview with Princess Diana. Bashir is of Pakistani heritage.
“It’s very rare that as an actor you are using the full range of your physical and spiritual and heritage offer — particularly in the way that casting can happen, where it can feel quite last minute and diversity can feel like, as Riz Ahmed puts it, an optional extra, where people aren’t really looking...
- 11/8/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
England-based Sri Lankan medic-turned-actor Prasanna Puwanarajah, who plays Martin Bashir in Season 5 of ‘The Crown’, is working in tandem with ‘Line of Duty’ creator Jed Mercurio over an adaptation of Rachel Clarke’s pandemic-themed bestseller ‘Breathtaking’.
The book is being developed as a three-part as-yet-untitled drama for UK broadcaster ITV, Puwanarajah, who was formerly a doctor with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), as was Mercurio, told ‘Variety’. Clarke is writing the drama with Puwanarajah and Mercurio.
Set during the time when the UK was being ravaged by Covid-19, Clarke’s book provides an insider’s look at the pandemic from a hospital doctor’s point of view.
“Rachel Clarke is a palliative care doctor who I used to work with in the NHS, when I was a first year junior doctor and she was a medical student — I taught her how to do IV drip lines. And she...
The book is being developed as a three-part as-yet-untitled drama for UK broadcaster ITV, Puwanarajah, who was formerly a doctor with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), as was Mercurio, told ‘Variety’. Clarke is writing the drama with Puwanarajah and Mercurio.
Set during the time when the UK was being ravaged by Covid-19, Clarke’s book provides an insider’s look at the pandemic from a hospital doctor’s point of view.
“Rachel Clarke is a palliative care doctor who I used to work with in the NHS, when I was a first year junior doctor and she was a medical student — I taught her how to do IV drip lines. And she...
- 11/6/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Prasanna Puwanarajah, who stars as Martin Bashir on season 5 of “The Crown,” is working again with “Line of Duty” creator Jed Mercurio, this time on an adaptation of Rachel Clarke’s pandemic-themed bestseller “Breathtaking.”
The book is being developed as a three-part as-yet-untitled drama for U.K. broadcaster ITV, Puwanarajah, who was formerly a doctor with the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS), as was Mercurio, told Variety. Clarke is writing the drama with Puwanarajah and Mercurio.
Set during the time when the U.K. was being ravaged by Covid-19, Clarke’s book provides an insider’s look at the pandemic from a hospital doctor’s point of view.
“Rachel Clarke is a palliative care doctor who I used to work with in the NHS, when I was a first year junior doctor and she was a medical student – I taught her how to do IV drip lines. And...
The book is being developed as a three-part as-yet-untitled drama for U.K. broadcaster ITV, Puwanarajah, who was formerly a doctor with the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS), as was Mercurio, told Variety. Clarke is writing the drama with Puwanarajah and Mercurio.
Set during the time when the U.K. was being ravaged by Covid-19, Clarke’s book provides an insider’s look at the pandemic from a hospital doctor’s point of view.
“Rachel Clarke is a palliative care doctor who I used to work with in the NHS, when I was a first year junior doctor and she was a medical student – I taught her how to do IV drip lines. And...
- 11/5/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Jed Mercurio’s Htm Television’s is working on Payback, a six-part crime drama for the UK’s ITV and Britbox International. Morven Christie, Peter Mullan and Prasanna Puwanarajah are leading the cast, and screenwriter Debbie O’Malley is writing.
Billed as a “compelling character-led series,” Payback will follows Lexie Noble,, as she becomes entangled in a perilous police operation to topple a notorious crime lord, Cal Morris. Puwanarajah and Derek Riddell play financial investigators looking into Lexie’s husband Jared, who has been laundering Cal’s illegal earnings behind her back.
Htm Television Creative Director Jed Mercurio is working alongside Hill, his Htm partner Madonna Baptiste and Diederick Santer on behalf of BritBox International on the series.
Billed as a “compelling character-led series,” Payback will follows Lexie Noble,, as she becomes entangled in a perilous police operation to topple a notorious crime lord, Cal Morris. Puwanarajah and Derek Riddell play financial investigators looking into Lexie’s husband Jared, who has been laundering Cal’s illegal earnings behind her back.
Htm Television Creative Director Jed Mercurio is working alongside Hill, his Htm partner Madonna Baptiste and Diederick Santer on behalf of BritBox International on the series.
- 9/1/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
U.K. broadcaster ITV has commissioned “Line of Duty” and “Bodyguard” creator Jed Mercurio’s Htm Television to produce crime thriller series “Payback” with BritBox International as co-production partner.
The six-part series stars Morven Christie (“The Bay”), Peter Mullan (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Prasanna Puwanarajah (“Ten Percent”) and Derek Riddell (“Industry”).
Written by Debbie O’Malley (“Call the Midwife”), “Payback” follows Lexie Noble (Christie) as she becomes entangled in a police operation to topple a notorious crime lord, Cal Morris (Mullan). The drama will be filmed in Glasgow, Edinburgh and surrounding areas.
Christie said: “I fell in love with Lexie from the first page, and I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Peter and this wonderful team in my hometown.”
“Payback” was commissioned by ITV head of drama Polly Hill.
Hill said: ” ‘Payback is a brilliant thriller which questions how well you know your partner...
The six-part series stars Morven Christie (“The Bay”), Peter Mullan (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Prasanna Puwanarajah (“Ten Percent”) and Derek Riddell (“Industry”).
Written by Debbie O’Malley (“Call the Midwife”), “Payback” follows Lexie Noble (Christie) as she becomes entangled in a police operation to topple a notorious crime lord, Cal Morris (Mullan). The drama will be filmed in Glasgow, Edinburgh and surrounding areas.
Christie said: “I fell in love with Lexie from the first page, and I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Peter and this wonderful team in my hometown.”
“Payback” was commissioned by ITV head of drama Polly Hill.
Hill said: ” ‘Payback is a brilliant thriller which questions how well you know your partner...
- 9/1/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Jed Mercurio, creator of hit BBC series “Line of Duty” and “Bodyguard,” has revealed a few aspects of his craft for screenwriters.
Mercurio’s course for the BBC Maestro educational series, titled “Writing Drama for Television,” has launched into North America. It is a comprehensive breakdown of the art and craft of writing, split into 28 chapters, beginning with the genesis of the process and concluding with career development options. Each chapter is accompanied by a video lecture from Mercurio and course notes, which include assignments and homework.
The initiative began at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was perfect timing really, because a lot of writers weren’t having contact with the industry in the way that they normally do, and so it felt like a really helpful way to reach out to people and get them thinking about their writing,” Mercurio told Variety.
Like all seasoned writers, Mercurio...
Mercurio’s course for the BBC Maestro educational series, titled “Writing Drama for Television,” has launched into North America. It is a comprehensive breakdown of the art and craft of writing, split into 28 chapters, beginning with the genesis of the process and concluding with career development options. Each chapter is accompanied by a video lecture from Mercurio and course notes, which include assignments and homework.
The initiative began at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was perfect timing really, because a lot of writers weren’t having contact with the industry in the way that they normally do, and so it felt like a really helpful way to reach out to people and get them thinking about their writing,” Mercurio told Variety.
Like all seasoned writers, Mercurio...
- 8/23/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar has suggested that the next series could have as few as two episodes.
While there has so far been no official confirmation that the hit BBC police drama is returning for a seventh series, a renewel is widely expected.
Dunbar, who plays Ted Hastings in the hit BBC police drama, suggested that he, alongside co-stars Martin Compston and Vicky McClure, will find out later this month whether Line of Duty will indeed return.
Speaking to The Times, however, he claimed that he thought the prospective next season would contain fewer episodes than previously.
“There’s a big appetite for more Line of Duty,” he said. “It could be three or four episodes, I don’t think there’s going to be six for some reason.
“It might be two 90 minutes. But it’s all entirely down to [creator Jed Mercurio] what the storyline is going to be.
While there has so far been no official confirmation that the hit BBC police drama is returning for a seventh series, a renewel is widely expected.
Dunbar, who plays Ted Hastings in the hit BBC police drama, suggested that he, alongside co-stars Martin Compston and Vicky McClure, will find out later this month whether Line of Duty will indeed return.
Speaking to The Times, however, he claimed that he thought the prospective next season would contain fewer episodes than previously.
“There’s a big appetite for more Line of Duty,” he said. “It could be three or four episodes, I don’t think there’s going to be six for some reason.
“It might be two 90 minutes. But it’s all entirely down to [creator Jed Mercurio] what the storyline is going to be.
- 8/19/2022
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
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