Pregnant Sheridan Smith To Star In New ITV Drama Isolation Stories

The four episodes will be filmed by the actors in their own homes.

SHERIDAN SMITH

by Bonnie McLaren |
Updated on

With filming and production halting on most shows due to the coronavirus pandemic, ITV have come up with a new idea for their latest drama. Isolation Series - a show, you guessed it, all about isolating during the pandemic - will be filmed by actors themselves, in their own homes, on their phones.

The broadcaster has commissioned four 15 minute episodes - with the cast being led by a pregnant Sheridan Smith. In the drama, Sheridan will play Mel, who is isolating alone, and faces going through the birth of her baby{ =nofollow}without the married father of her child - who has chosen to stay with his wife and family instead.

‘I am heavily pregnant and have been isolating at home so I jumped at the chance to make a drama about the massive drama going on all around us right now,’ Sheridan - who is expecting her first baby with fiancé Jamie Horn - said in a statement. ‘I think it's really important to try and reflect what's happening to us whilst it is still actually happening.’

Robert Glenister and his son Tom Glenister, Darren Boyd, Angela Griffin, David Threlfall, Eddie Marsan and his sons Blue and Bodie will appear in the other three episodes. Robert and Tom play father and son Ron and Russell, which sees Ron become ill with Covid-19. Meanwhile, Darren and Angela play Mike, a man with health anxiety{ =nofollow}, and his psychiatrist Rochelle. The final episode sees grandad resolve to bring his broken family together and stars Eddie, his sons Blue and Bodie, and David Threlfall.

Obviously, filming the dramas isn’t going to be easy - and each of the directors will be watching footage via their mobile phones and giving advice to the actors about camera positioning, scene composition and lighting.

READ MORE: What It's Like To Navigate Coronavirus When You Suffer From Health Anxiety

READ MORE: Newsnight's Emily Maitlis: 'Broadcasting During This Pandemic Is Like Nothing I've Ever Lived Through'

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