Breathtaking on ITV1 is based on doctor/writer Rachel Clarke and unflinching memoir of the greatest public health crisis in living memory. The drama stars Joanne Froggatt as a frontline hospital consultant.
Downton Abbey star Joanne plays Abbey Henderson, a doctor and mother of two small children, who is known for her calm approach. But even Abbey struggles to cope as the virus takes hold and the NHS is totally overwhelmed. The new series has been adapted by Rachel herself, alongside former hospital doctors, Jed Mercurio (the man behind Line of Duty and Bodyguard) and Prasanna Puwanarajah.
“I feel truly honored to be playing Dr Abbey Henderson in Breathtaking, based on Dr Rachel Clarke’s beautifully written, poignant and shocking book of the same name,” says Joanne Froggatt.
“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.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Breathtaking on ITV…
Breathtaking release date
Breathtaking is a three-part drama that will be shown on ITV1 and ITVX. There’s no release date yet but as filming wrapped in Belfast in May, we’re guessing it will hit our screens later in 2023. We’ll keep you updated on this page.
Breathtaking plot
Breathtaking shows the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of acute medicine consultant Dr Abbey Henderson. She works in a big inner-city hospital and the drama shows how she and her colleagues fought desperately to save the lives of coronavirus patients while dealing with an incredible amount of fear and frustration themselves. As well as following Abbey, the drama weaves in the lives of her fellow doctors, nurses, patients and the paramedics whose ambulances were queued outside hospitals as the NHS struggling to cope under the unprecedented demand.
“There is so much misinformation and rewriting of history around what really happened inside our hospitals during the pandemic,” says writer Rachel Clark. “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.”
Breathtaking cast — Joanne Froggatt as Dr Abbey Henderson
Joanne Froggatt plays an overworked doctor during the start of the COVID pandemic. She is best known for playing Anna Bates in Downton Abbey and starred in the ITV thriller series Liar, playing Laura Nielson. She's also been in North Shore, Last Light, Sherwood, The Harrowing, The Commons and Robin Hood. Joanne started her career playing Zoe Tattersall in Coronation Street and voices Wendy in the children’s series Bob The Builder.
Who else is starring in Breathtaking?
No other cast has yet been announced for Breathtaking but as soon as they are we'll post them here.
Is there a trailer?
No, but if and when ITV release one, we’ll post it on here for you to enjoy.
