When does ITV's lockdown series Isolation Stories air on TV?
Sheridan Smith, Robert Glenister, Eddie Marsden and Angela Griffin star in a short series depicting the struggles of life in lockdown
ITV has developed a new series of short dramas providing snapshots into life under lockdown, with Sheridan Smith starring in the first of four episodes.
Read on for everything you need to know about Isolation Stories.
When is Isolation Stories on TV?
The four-part drama series will be stripped across four days, beginning on Monday 4th May at 9pm on ITV, and airing at the same time and on the same channel on Tuesday 5th, Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th May.
Isolation Stories: Behind The Scenes is also set to air on Thursday 7th May, at 11pm – and will uncover how the series was made.
What is Isolation Stories about?
Produced by Oscar nominated writer and producer Jeff Pope (Philomena, A Confession), the four-part series depicts life during the UK's lockdown period, with tales that are by turns funny, poignant, and heartrending.
The project will have taken just a month to complete, from the moment of its inception to the moment it airs. Speaking of the creative process, Pope said in a statement: "There is a lot of wonderful work being done by current affairs and entertainment programmes, but because of the long lead times required to prepare and shoot, scripted dramas are never normally this reactive. If we were to get on air quickly, the other big obstacle was the isolation process itself - we obviously had to find a way of filming these stories and not breaking the rules and putting people's health at risk."
As a result, all four separate stories were filmed in adherence with the strict rules of the UK lockdown, with cast members filming themselves with sterilised equipment while at home (or with the help of those in their own household), and with directing advice provided remotely.
Of her involvement in the project, Sheridan Smith said: “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. I think it's really important to try and reflect what's happening to us whilst it is still actually happening.”
Who stars in Isolation Stories?
The first episode, "Mel", stars Sheridan Smith (Gavin and Stacey, Cilla) as a heavily pregnant woman whose partner and father of her unborn child has chosen to spend lockdown with his wife and children.
Robert Glenister (Hustle) and his actor son, Tom Glenister (Vera), appear in episode two "Ron and Russell", about a father in the early stages of dementia and his son, who are trapped and isolating together due to the father's illness with coronavirus.
Episode three, "Mike and Rochelle", is about hypochondriac Mike (played by Stan Lee's Lucky Man actor Darren Boyd) and his psychiatrist Rochelle (Waterloo Road's Angela Griffin).
Finally Eddie Marsan (The World's End), his sons Blu and Bodhi, and David Threlfall (Shameless) star in the fourth episode, "Karen", about a grandfather who stops off outside the window of his son-in-law's house.
What are the Isolation Stories episodes?
Mel, starring Sheridan Smith – Monday 4th May, 9pm
Ron & Russell, starring Robert Glenister and Tom Glenister – Tuesday 5th May, 9pm
Mike & Rochelle, starring Darren Boyd and Angela Griffin – Wednesday 6th May, 9pm
Karen, starring Eddie Marsan, his sons Blu and Bodhi, and David Threlfall – Thursday 7th May, 9pm
The four-part series begins on Monday 4th May at 9pm on ITV, and airs the following nights at the same time. Check out what's on in the meantime with our TV Guide
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