MAVIS ECCLESTON: FURTHER CASTING ANNOUNCED TO JOIN PENELOPE WILTON AND JONATHAN PRYCE IN NEW ITV FACTUAL DRAMA

ITV has announced further cast for recently commissioned drama, Mavis Eccleston, the tragic and extraordinary real-life story of a woman who survived a joint suicide pact with the love of her life and husband of nearly 60 years and was subsequently arrested and charged with his murder.

The four-part drama starring Penelope Wilton (After Life, Downton Abbey, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) and Jonathan Pryce (Wolf Hall, Slow Horses, The Crown) in the leading roles of Mavis and Dennis Eccleston and is being produced by Corestar Media and Indefinite Films.

The leads will be joined by Sian Brooke (Blue Lights, Trying) and Chris Reilly (Slow Horses, Call The Midwife) playing Dennis and Mavis’ children Joy and Kevin. Jill Halfpenny (The Long Shadow, After the Flood) and Darrell D’Silva (Van Der Valk, Domina) take on the roles of Tracey and Kenton, the partners of Kevin and Joy. Rhashan Stone (All The Light We Cannot See, Black Mirror) and Emma Stansfield (Waterloo Road, Hotel Portofino) round off the cast playing Barrister Alex Wyatt and Paula, a close friend of Joy’s.

Acclaimed screenwriter, Chris Lang (Unforgotten, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, I Jack Wright) has written the series and each of the four episodes will be directed by BAFTA winning Bruce Goodison (Anne, Doctor Foster, Then Barbara Met Alan), with Kate Cook producing (The Cure, Glasgow Girls, The Watchman).

Having gained the confidence and trust of the Eccleston family, Tom Brittney, known for his on screen role in ITV’s Grantchester brought the project to Corestar and has collaborated on the development of the series alongside Indefinite Films.

In a complicated mix of raw and intense emotions. Much to the anguish and upset of their adult children, Kevin and Joy, Mavis and Dennis decided to end their lives together when 81-year-old Dennis received a terminal cancer diagnosis and declined treatment to avoid prolonging his suffering.

He’d had cancer twice before and knew the gruelling toll the invasive treatment would take on him and his family life.Truly heart breaking events unfold as the family desperately try to dissuade Dennis and Mavis from taking a lethal cocktail of medication, but they remain steadfast in their belief that they should leave the world together.

Having taken an overdose together, they are both rushed to the hospital, where Dennis passes away, but Mavis survives. Following a confused and disorienting interview with hospital staff, the Police are alerted, and Mavis is arrested.

In the midst of such tragedy, Mavis and her family, whilst trying to process the grief of having lost their father, now face the very real prospect of their mother spending the rest of her life in prison.Mavis Eccleston and her family have given their blessing to the drama and have been available to the production team throughout the script process. 

The series will air on ITV, STV and be available for streaming on ITVX and STV Player.