Written by Shona Smith on Aug 8, 2018. Posted in General Interest / On Location / Production News

ITV drama Torvill and Dean awarded funding from Northern Ireland Screen

Principal photography is underway for ITV’s new 2-hour standalone drama Torvill and Dean.

Written by William Ivory who has found success with Made in Dagenham and Common as Muck, the drama will chronicle the early lives of ice-skating duo Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, the Nottingham based partnership, and the story behind how they become ice dancing royalty.

The one-off drama has received funding from Northern Ireland Screen Fund. The fund can invest a maximum of £800,000 for a feature film or television production. There is a limit of 25% of the overall project budget allowed for funding investment.

Darlow Smithson Productions are producing the drama for ITV having recently opened an office in Belfast. The company, part of Endemol Shine, has an established relationship with the Northern Ireland Screen having made several productions with support from the fund. Dave Allen at Peace, a biopic of the Irish Comedian filmed at Queen’s University Belfast and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and We’re Doomed! The Dad’s Army Story also filmed in Northern Ireland.

To qualify for the fund, projects must be commercially viable and able to demonstrate clear possibilities for commercial exploitation. For television productions, an expression of interest from an international distributor or network broadcaster, such as ITV, is preferable.

Northern Ireland has an established filming industry with facilities that consistently attract productions. Superman prequel Krypton will return to film their second season at Belfast Harbour Studios and Game of Thrones has made use of Wolf Hill Quarry in the past. Liam Neeson has been filming his new romantic comedy Normal People in and around Belfast for the past month and the fifth series of BBC drama Line of Duty will also film in the city later this year.