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ITVS lines up lockdown drama shorts

UK broadcaster ITV has commissioned Isolation Stories, a series of four short dramas from Oscar-nominated writer and producer Jeff Pope inspired by true stories reflecting life in lockdown.

Jeff Pope

The shorts will be produced by the factual drama arm of ITV Studios, which Pope heads, and will comprise four 15-minute episodes.

Pope (Philomena, Stan & Ollie, A Confession, Little Boy Blue) is exec producing the series with Tom Dunbar (A Confession) and has also written one episode. Gaby Chiappe (The Level), Neil McKay (The Moorside, Appropriate Adult) and Willam Ivory (Torvill & Dean) have also written one episode each.

Paul Whittington (White House Farm, Little Boy Blue) and Paul Andrew Williams (A Confession, Broadchurch) will each direct an episode. The series will be filmed observing lockdown rules, with actors and their families filming the scenes themselves, watched remotely by the directors.

ITV Studios Global Entertainment will distribute Isolation Stories internationally.

Pope said: “Like everybody else, I have been isolating at home and in my case watching my wife suffering badly with the virus. I wanted to do something to catch the mood. I knew it would be very difficult to shoot dramas in these circumstances but I felt the public would understand if things were a little rough and ready, if we at least had a go.”

Dunbar added: “Exceptional circumstances require us to think in a brand new way about creating drama. Our priorities are the safety of all involved in the production and finding a way to work within all the restrictions to create something relevant and resonant.”

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