BAD BLOOD: PRODUCTION TO COMMENCE ON ITV's CONTAMINATED BLOOD SCANDAL DRAMA

Filming is due to commence this March on ITV's drama about the contaminated blood scandal, from writer Peter Moffatt.

The series will focus on how haemophiliacs and those with other blood disorders were contaminated with tainted blood infecting them with HIV and Hepatitis C during the 1970s and 1980s.

To date, more than 3,000 people who contracted illnesses have died as a result. A public inquiry was established in 2017, hearing evidence from hundreds of people affected - before its final recommendations to compensate them last year.

Writer Peter Moffatt previously said: "It’s been a great privilege to meet those infected and affected and to learn about what they have been through. I’m ashamed to say that when I started researching this story I knew next to nothing about it...

"I’m even more ashamed that this ignorance is shared by nearly everyone I mention it to. The victims of this scandal have been let down again and again by the state – I hope in some small way this drama can help their voices be heard."

ITV’s head of drama, Polly Hill, previously said of the drama: "Peter’s scripts are brilliant and do justice to this important story, while bringing it to screen with real clarity and compassion."

It follows the success of other factual dramas such as Breathtaking and Mr Bates vs. the Post Office, the latter became ITV’s biggest new drama in over a decade, even beating the launch of Downton Abbey in 2010.

The ITV Studios and Little Gem series averaged 13.5m viewers across its four episodes, including 28 day viewing across all devices plus pre-TX viewing. The most watched episode was the final episode with over 13.8m viewers.

More details about Bad Blood will be announced in due course.