Thorne leads C4 towards The Light

Robbie Coltrane in Thorne’s National Treasure

Channel 4 in the UK have commissioned another drama penned by Jack Thorne focusing on a disaster that hits a small town in Wales.

The Light, which is being produced with US streamer Hulu, comes after C4 and Thorne found success with recent dramas National Treasure and Kiri.

National Treasure focused on an ageing comedian who faces an allegation of rape dating back decades, while Kiri told the story of the disappearance of a young girl in foster care.

Thorne’s latest four-parter will again be produced by The Forge and was commissioned by C4’s head of drama Beth Willis. Filming will start early next year with a premiere set for later in 2019.

Thorne told UK national newspaper The Sunday Times that The Light would focus on disability in a similar way to how National Treasure explored gender and Kiri looked at race.

The Bafta-winning writer said that disabled people were not being represented as well as other minority groups on television. Thorne, who has a condition called cholinergic urticaria, which leads to his body overheating, said he felt quotas were necessary.

One of the three lead parts in The Light is written for a disabled actor, and around one-fifth of all roles in the drama will go to actors with disabilities, according to The Sunday Times.