David Tennant looks almost completely unrecognisable as Alexander Litvinenko in the new ITVX drama.
The Scots actor, who recently returned to his role in Doctor Who as the 14th Doctor, will portray the former KGB Officer. Litvinenko's death from polonium-210 poisoning in 2006 resulted in one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of the Metropolitan Police.
The first look photo shared on ITV social media pages sees Tennant, 51, and the production team recreate the famous photo of Litvinenko in his hospital bed, which made global headlines before his death. The series will show how two police officers were called to University College Hospital in London to interview a patient in declining health.
The patient turned out to be former Russian Federal Security Services worker Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian dissident who claimed to have been poisoned on the direct orders of Vladimir Putin. During the interviews, Alexander provided meticulous details from his hospital bed about the events leading up to his illness.
His statements ultimately helped detectives track down two Russians who had poisoned Litvinenko with the highly toxic radioactive substance Polonium-210.
The drama will also showcase the story of Alexander’s widow Marina who fought to persuade the British Government to publicly name her husband’s killers and acknowledge the role of the Russian State in his murder.
In a statement, writer Kay previously said: "In late 2006, Alexander Litvinenko was a living witness to his own murder. He spent his dying days entrusting the Metropolitan Police with the details of what happened to him.
"It took those police and his remarkable widow Marina Litvinenko a decade to have those claims ratified. Their stamina, hard work and bravery are what make this not only an essential story of our times but a privilege to be asked to write."
The drama will air exclusively on ITV's new free streaming platform ITVX, which launches later this year.
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