Vicky McClure and Anna Maxwell Martin star in moving first trailer for BBC drama Mother's Day
The actors star as two mothers brought together in the wake of the Warrington bombing of March 1993
The BBC has released a moving first trailer for the upcoming drama Mother's Day, starring Vicky McClure and Anna Maxwell Martin as two mothers brought together in the wake of the Warrington bombing of March 1993.
McClure (Line of Duty) plays Susan McHugh, a Dublin housewife and mother-of-two so horrified by the bombings that she went on to organise one of the largest peace rallies in Irish history later that month, to protest the violence of the Troubles.
The one-off 90-minute drama will mark 25 years since the protest.
Maxwell Martin (Motherland) plays Wendy Parry, whose 12-year-old son died as a result of the bombing in Warrington, Cheshire. The attack, which killed two young boys and injured many others, took place the day before Mother's Day, when many children were out shopping for cards.
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Daniel Mays (Against The Law) will play Colin Parry, Wendy's husband and Tim's father. The Parrys went on to establish The Foundation for Peace, promoting non-violent conflict resolution.
“Susan McHugh’s actions back in 1993 remain just as inspirational today as they were 25 years ago," McClure said. "I feel truly privileged to play her in this incredibly moving new film.”
Maxwell Martin said: “I know that many will recall the bravery and dignity shown by the families affected by the Warrington bombings. It’s a real honour to be telling their story.”
Mother's Day writer Nick Leather has revealed that his personal connection to the 1993 bombing made bringing McHugh and the Parrys' stories to the small screen even more poignant for him.
“As someone who grew up in Warrington and was on my way into town on the day of the bombing, bringing this astonishing story to the screen has been a career-long mission," Leather said.
"Over the last year, I’ve been fortunate to work with a wonderfully supportive team at the BBC, including the director Fergus O’Brien, and have found the Parry and McHugh families to be even more inspiring than I did as a kid. I hope people are as moved and affected by this drama as we have been making it.”
Mother's Day will air on BBC2 in September 2018
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