David Thewlis, Jason Watkins Join Channel 4 Drama ‘Dirty Business’
Channel 4 is set to launch a gripping three-part factual drama titled Dirty Business, featuring a stellar cast that includes David Thewlis, Jason Watkins, Asim Chaudhry, and BAFTA Rising Star nominee Posy Sterling. This drama is produced by Halcyon Heart, known for their work on Partygate.
Plot Overview
Dirty Business delves into a decade-long investigation surrounding England’s water companies. It portrays the harrowing experiences of whistleblowers and families whose lives have been upended due to sewage pollution. The narrative follows two unlikely detectives in an idyllic Oxfordshire hamlet who become alarmed when fish in their local river begin to die.
Key Characters
- David Thewlis as Ash: A former police detective turned concerned citizen.
- Jason Watkins as Peter: A biology professor who unravels the truth behind the sewage treatment failures.
- Asim Chaudhry: A whistleblower from a sewage plant.
- Posy Sterling: A rising star in the cast.
True Stories Explored
The series also highlights the tragic story of the Preen family. Their 8-year-old daughter, Heather, succumbed to e-coli 0157 after playing near a beach contaminated by a storm pipe discharging raw sewage. The Preens firmly believe that Heather’s illness and subsequent death were linked to this environmental neglect.
Another narrative thread follows young surfer Reuben, who is convinced that his chronic illness, Meniere’s disease, results from surfing in polluted waters.
Production Details
Multi-BAFTA winner Joseph Bullman is at the helm as the writer and director of this impactful drama. The production team includes Laura McCutcheon and Meeshan Saxena as producers, with Aysha Rafaele serving as executive producer. The series has been commissioned for Channel 4 by Alisa Pomeroy, the Head of Documentaries, and Rita Daniels, the Factual Entertainment and Commissioning Editor.
Dirty Business promises a compelling and eye-opening exploration of the ongoing challenges posed by water pollution in England, drawing attention to the human stories behind the statistics.
