Written by Joe Jackson on Jun 8, 2022. Posted in Production News

ITV will film five-part medical thriller with World Productions

ITV has commissioned a new medical thriller. The five-part series – titled Malpractice – will be produced by World Productions and directed by Boiling Point’s Philip Barantini. The script is written by former doctor Grace Ofori-Attah. Filming is set to take place in and around Leeds, with BAFTA-nominated actress Niamh Algar starring as protagonist Dr Lucinda Edwards.

“Malpractice explores the inevitable pressure-cooker created when doctors under investigation are forced to second-guess their clinical decisions, justify their every action but carry on with the day job as normal,” explains Ofori-Attah. She had worked as an NHS doctor for over a decade before approaching World Productions with her initial ideas.

Viewers meet the battled-hardened Dr  Edwards during a nightmare shift that culminates in the death of an opioid overdose victim. Despite the support of her medical supervisor Dr Leo Harris (James Purefoy), the victim’s grieving father Sir Anthony Owusu (Brian Bovell) calls for an enquiry, questioning Lucinda’s actions on that fateful night.

As the investigation unravels and morphs into a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse, Malpractice showcases a damaged doctor caught up in a dangerous conspiracy.

“Grace’s scripts are a brilliant mix of compelling medical thriller and an authentic medical world that comes from her time as a doctor,” details ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill. “They are also so accomplished that’s it’s hard to believe this is her first commissioned show. It’s wonderful to see how many new voices are making their first drama on ITV. We are all excited to see Niamh Algar take on the role of Lucinda. Together with the brilliant Philip Barantini and World Productions this promises to be something special.”

World Productions produced The Pembrokeshire Murders and Line of Duty, 2021’s highest rated dramas on ITV and BBC1 respectively. World was awarded Best Independent Production Company at this year’s Broadcast Awards, having also won in 2019. “It has been an absolute joy and privilege creating Malpractice with the team at World, who are well-versed in creating drama that’s endlessly entertaining and surprising, and I can’t wait to see it on screen,” emphasises Ofori-Attah.

Photo: Arseny Togulev