ITV is set to launch a new drama exploring the devastating terrorist attack on the Indonesian island paradise of Bali more than two decades ago. Bali 2002 will explore how everyday heroes from Bali, Australia and around the world, defied the odds to bring order from chaos and hope from despair during the 2002 bombings.
Airing on ITV’s new streaming platform ITVX, the series has been developed in consultation with those directly impacted by the tragedy. Starring actors from the UK, Australia and beyond, the show follows several people caught up in the violent attack, including tourists, surgeons, and the police who hunted those responsible.
Here, we break down everything you need to know about Bali 2002:
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When is Bali 2002 released?
The four-part drama will premiere on ITV’s streaming platform ITVX. The first episode – titled Island of the Gods – will air on Thursday, March 16 at 9pm.
What is the true story of Bali 2002?
On October 12, 2002, the island paradise of Bali was shattered by a terrorist attack on two of Kuta Beach’s nightclubs during one of the busiest tourist periods of the year. It started when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb inside the popular Paddy’s Pub nightclub during one of the busiest tourist periods of the year.
Many injured and uninjured patrons flooded out into the streets amid the chaos. But twenty seconds later, a second suicide bomber detonated a bomb housed in a van outside the Sari Club, an open-air bar opposite Paddy’s Pub.
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Both the local Balinese and international tourists scrambled to escape, to rescue the injured and to comfort the dying. Australian and Indonesian authorities not only mobilised to evacuate survivors and identify victims, but to hunt down those responsible.
A third, comparatively smaller bomb was detonated outside the US consulate in Bali’s capital city, Denpasar, which caused minor injuries to one person and minimal damage. The Kuta Beach attack left hundreds dead, with many survivors suffering horrific burns and other injuries.
The bombings were carried out by members of the Islamist group Jemaah Islamiyah. By December 2020, all those thought to have played key roles in the Bali bombings had been convicted or killed in confrontations with police.
Who are the cast of Bali 2022?
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Griffiths stars as plastic surgeon Fiona Wood. She made her debut in the iconic comedy-drama Muriel’s Wedding, while her other film credits include The Rookie, Blow, Hacksaw Ridge and Hilary and Jackie – for which she was nominated for an Academy Award.
On television, she starred in the acclaimed HBO series Six Feet Under, Brothers & Sisters and Amazon’s The Wilds.
Claudia Jessie
Claudia Jessie stars as Polly Miller, who is caught up in the bombings with her husband and a group of friends. Claudia is best-known for her role as Eloise Bridgerton in Netflix period drama Bridgerton.
She also appeared as Amelia in ITV’s Vanity Fair, as Nessa in BBC’s Defending the Guilty, and as DC Jodi Taylor in Line of Duty. She has also had roles in BAFTA-winning Call the Midwife, Channel 4 and Netflix’s Lovesick, Josh Widdicombe’s BBC sitcom Josh and Doctor Who.
Richard Roxburgh
Richard Roxburgh stars as Australian Federal Police Commander Graham Ashton. Richard has worked on stage and screen around the world, appearing in films including Mission Impossible II, Moulin Rouge, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Hacksaw Ridge, Van Helsing and James Cameron’s action-adventure Sanctum.
More recently he has appeared in Oscar-nominated biopic Elvis as Vernon Presley. He appears alongside Helen Mirren in the miniseries Catherine the Great and most recently had a supporting role in Netflix's The Crown as former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke.
Sean Keenan
Sean Keenan stars in Bali 2002 as professional AFL footballer Jason McCartney. Sean has appeared on television in Glitch, Hunters, and Wake in Fright, while his film credits include Drift, The True History of the Kelly Gang, and Jane Campion’s Oscar-winning The Power of the Dog and Justine Kurzel’s Nitram.
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