The BBC has shared some first-look images of their hard-hitting new drama Unforgivable, which sees Emmy Award winner Anna Friel and BAFTA winners Anna Maxwell-Martin and David Threfall in their latest roles.
Created by screenwriter Jimmy McGovern, best known for critically acclaimed dramas such as Broken, The Street and Time, Unforgivable promises a powerful and sensitive exploration of difficult themes
What is Unforgivable about?
Set and filmed in Liverpool, the new BBC drama will explore the extensive ripple effect that grooming and sexual abuse have on the Mitchell family as they grapple with the harrowing consequences of abuse committed by one of their own.
Who's in the Unforgivable cast?
The drama stars Anna Friel (Marcella, Brookside and Broken, Jimmy McGovern's previous drama) as Anna, while Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, Line of Duty), who recently earned critical praise for her role in Until I Kill You, plays Katherine. David Threlfall (Nightsleeper, Shameless) takes on the role of Brian.
Bobby Schofield, known for This City Is Ours and Time, plays Joe. Austin Haynes, who you may recognise from Adolescence and All Creatures Great and Small, appears as Tom.
Other cast members include Mark Womack from (The Responder Moving On), Paddy Rowan (Time, The Bay), Phina Oruche (Anthony, Magpie Murders) and Fin McParland in his TV debut.
Unforgivable trailer
The trailer for BBC's Unforgivable is very intense. It opens with an upset Anna (Friel) and Brian (Threlfall) in a car, while Joe (Anna's brother and David's son, payed by Schofield) says, "Can I come to the funeral, Dad?", and he spits down the phone in response, "No, how could you possibly come?".
It's then revealed that Joe is serving time (rehabilitative care) and is supported by Katherine (Maxwell Martin, an ex-nun asks him, "Have you done it before, what you did to Tom? Had you done it to anybody else?".
In later snippets, Anna comes face to face with her criminal brother in a graveyard and looks terrified. She tells her dad, who looks understandably shocked. It cuts to Anna visiting Joe in prison, telling him, "I hate ya. How could someone you love be capable of something like that?" and ends with Joe saying "No one hates me more than I hate myself", while it shows scenes of him being chased by a gang.
Where can I watch Unforgivable?
Written by Jimmy McGovern, directed by Julia Ford (known for Showtrial, The Bay and Safe), and produced by LA Productions, the 90-minute standalone drama is set to premiere on Thursday 24th July at 9:00 PM on BBC Two and iPlayer.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who has watched hundreds of dramas and is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and loves going on walks with her three dogs.