Patience star on casting neurodivergent actors – and "challenging" first week on set

In addition to serving up perplexing mysteries – such as an unexplainable death in a locked room and a supposed corpse that escapes from the mortuary – the show aims to authentically represent the lives of neurodivergent people.

Casting is considered a key component, with Patience star Ella Maisy Purvis asking press: "Why wouldn’t you want the person with the most experience to play a role that is so shaped by the way in which they experience the world?

"Neurodivergent people experience the world in such a unique way, and no two are the same.

"The kind of perspective that comes from lived experiences can't be learnt, and so when you're casting for roles which have neurodiversity as part of their character, it's really important that those voices are being heard and are actively in the room."

Purvis continued: "That way, you can bring a level of authenticity to the narrative that would otherwise be lacking, which just makes for a more engaging and meaningful story – which is what we all want in the end, right?"

The actor, who is autistic and has ADHD, went on to explain how playing the lead role in a major television series was no easy gig, requiring time for her to adjust to new surroundings and a hectic timetable.

She explained: "Getting myself settled into a routine was certainly challenging. I was in a completely different country, in a space I'd never been to before, which can be quite disorientating.

"That first week especially, I was expecting it to be really difficult to familiarise myself with it all but also try and hit the ground running. I certainly felt the pressure.

"But the whole cast and crew were just incredible, and there was so much care involved from the very start that it ended up being a lot easier than I anticipated. Plus, I very quickly fell in love with Antwerp, where we first filmed, which certainly helped."

Purvis added: "I have to say though, being honest, the greatest challenge was really being away from my cat for so long – I felt like a neglectful mother!"

Patience premieres on Channel 4 at 9pm on Wednesday 8th January 2025. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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