The Control Room is a gripping new three-part thriller written for ±«Óãtv One and ±«Óãtv iPlayer. Award-winning writer, Nick Leather (Mother’s Day, Murdered For Being Different) talks about his latest show and reveals the inspiration for the drama.
Watch The Control Room on ±«Óãtv One and ±«Óãtv iPlayer from Sunday 17th July at 9pm
Describe the story of The Control Room?
The Control Room is about Gabe; a call handler in an ambulance control room and an everyday hero. Every few minutes, he deals with matters of life and death. And then one day, he takes one call and realises that the life on the line is actually his own.
Gabe (IAIN De CAESTECKER). (Photo Credit: ±«Óãtv/Hartswood Films/Anne Binckebanck)
What was your inspiration for the story?
One morning, I went in to wake my daughter up and I couldn’t; she was just floppy. We called 999 and in that desperate few minutes, I realised sort of how profoundly the person on the other end of the line can help you and affect you. Their manner is so important and its quite an intense relationship for a few minutes. Everything was ok in the end but then the next time I sat down and tried to come up with a story, I wrote two things at the top; one was call room handler and caller. I then put a circle around it and tried to think of the way the relationship between those two people would be and a scene that involved them both.
DI Breck (SHARON ROONEY);Gabe (IAIN De CAESTECKER);Anthony (DANIEL PORTMAN);Leigh (TAJ ATWAL) - (Photo Credit: ±«Óãtv/Hartswood Films/Anne Binckebanck)
Describe the tone of the show?
It’s a thriller that’s also a love story and also a relationship drama; the coming of age. We don’t all exist in one genre, we move between these things.
Sam (JOANNA VANDERHAM);Gabe (IAIN De CAESTECKER). (Photo Credit: ±«Óãtv/Hartswood Films/Jamie Simpson
Why is The Control Room a must-see drama?
You can ask yourself the question of what would you do right now if your phone rang and if you answered it, if they were a person from your past...
Watch The Control Room from Sunday 17th July 2022 at 9pm on ±«Óãtv One and ±«Óãtv iPlayer.