Here’s a
first look at new BBC One drama Blackout starring Christopher Eccleston, Dervla
Kirwan (Injustice, The Silence) and Ewen Bremner (Page Eight, Perfect Sense) in
this original three-part drama produced by Red Production Company (Exile,
Single Father).
Also starring
are Bafta winner Andrew Scott (Sherlock, The Hour), Lyndsey Marshal (Garrow’s
Law, Being Human), Rebecca Callard (32 Brinkburn Street, Robin Hood), MyAnna
Buring (The Twilight Saga, Any Human Heart) and Branka Katic (The Jury II, Big
Love).
Blackout
follows Daniel Demoys (Eccleston), a stranger in his own life. Over the years
he has gone from being an idealistic young man with a burning desire to make
the world a better place, to a disillusioned and corrupt council official. His
alcoholism has driven a wedge between him and wife, Alex (Kirwan), and their
three children. The fallout from his alcohol fuelled actions prove agonising for
all around him.
When Daniel
wakes up after another drunken night, he realises that he might be responsible
for a murder. A dramatic act of redemption buys him public adoration, so much
so that he has become a candidate in the race for Mayor, persuaded by council
official Jerry Durrans (Bremner), and lawyer sister Lucy (Marshal).
The public’s
opinion of Daniel as a straight talking everyday hero couldn’t be higher. They
are enthralled by his no nonsense determination not to treat the electorate
like fools and by his openness about his personal problems and struggle with
addiction.
As his public
star rises ever higher and he tries to repair the damage done to his private
life, he is painfully aware that it could all come crashing down at any moment.
With Detective Dalien Bevan (Scott) hot on his trail and determined to gain
respect in the force, he could be just the person to do this.
With Daniel’s
deepening relationships with Bevan’s ex-wife Sylvie (Buring), hospital nurse
Donna (Katic), and the murdered man’s daughter Ruth (Callard), he finds himself
in even more of a tangled web than he could ever have imagined.
Blackout was
commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, Drama Commissioning, and Danny
Cohen, Controller, BBC One. The producer is Matthew Bird (Death In Paradise,
The Street) and director is Tom Green (Misfits, Kid). Executive Producers are
Christopher Aird for BBC, Nicola Shindler for Red Production Company, and
written by Bill Gallagher (Lark Rise to Candleford, The Prisoner).
Episode one
of Blackout is confirmed to air Monday 2 July on BBC One at 9pm.
