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Channel 4’s Falling has quickly got viewers talking thanks to its emotional storyline and quietly intense central romance, but many fans are now wondering whether the drama is actually based on a true story.
The six-part series stars Keeley Hawes as Anna, a devoted nun whose life begins to change after she forms an unexpected connection with Catholic priest David, played by Paapa Essiedu.
As the pair grow closer, both are forced to confront difficult questions about faith, love and the lives they’ve committed themselves to.
But while Falling feels deeply personal and believable, the story itself is fictional.
What inspired Falling?
Although the drama is fictional, Jack Thorne has revealed the original spark behind it came from a real article.
Speaking about the idea, Thorne explained that his long-time collaborator and executive producer George Faber sent him a piece about a nun who had fallen in love with a priest.
“We use none of the detail of that in Falling,” Thorne said, “but we thought there was something very interesting there about faith and love that would allow us to tell a slightly unusual story.”
Rather than adapting the situation directly, Thorne used it as a starting point to explore bigger ideas about devotion, belief and emotional connection.
The deeper themes behind the drama
For Jack, the series became less about forbidden romance and more about exploring the emotional reality of religious life and the importance of community, care and human connection.
To help shape the story, he carried out extensive research and spoke to people connected to the church to better understand prayer, devotion and the responsibilities that come with religious life.
One part of the research that particularly stayed with him was the idea that prayer sits at the centre of everything — not simply as ritual, but as a way of supporting and caring for others.
The series also touches on emotional moments involving grief and last rites, which are presented not just through religion, but through compassion and love.
Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu on the love story
For Keeley Hawes, Falling stood out for its tenderness and emotional honesty, with the actor praising Jack Thorne’s writing as “beautifully observed, unsentimental and very tender”.
She added that the story felt “very special” and unlike anything she had read before.
Paapa Essiedu, meanwhile, said the relationship between Anna and David is built through subtle, human moments rather than big romantic gestures.
He explained that it’s often the smallest interactions that linger and grow in importance over time - something that reflects how relationships develop in real life.
Paapa also spoke to members of the clergy during his preparation, helping him understand the emotional complexity behind the priesthood and faith.
So, is Falling based on a true story?
No, Falling is not based on a true story.
However, the Channel 4 drama was inspired by a real article that explored the idea of a nun and a priest falling in love.
From there, Jack Thorne developed a fictional story exploring faith, devotion, love and the difficult choices that can come when those worlds collide.
All episodes of Falling are available to stream on Channel 4.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. A devoted bookworm and TV fan, she’s always immersed in the latest shows or catching the newest films and theatre productions. When she’s not writing, Arabella enjoys cooking and exploring the outdoors with her dog.