ITV announce Covid-19 drama filmed in Northern Ireland with Downtown Abbey star
Line of Duty creator Jed Murcurio has written this 👇
Last updated 26th Jul 2023
ITV’s new drama, Breathtaking, is a searing, thought-provoking and poignant account of an NHS doctor in the eye of the storm during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Filming of the three-part series was completed in Northern Ireland earlier this year.
The drama stars Downtown Abbey’s Joanne Froggatt in the role of a frontline hospital consultant.
Breathtaking is based on doctor-writer Rachel Clarke’s unflinching personal memoir of the greatest public health crisis in living memory, adapted for television by Rachel Clarke and Line of Duty’s Jed Mercurio who was also a former junior hospital doctor alongside Prasanna Puwanarajah.
Set in a fictional big-city hospital, the drama narrates how frontline medical staff endured fear and frustration as they desperately tried to save the lives of coronavirus patients.
Jed Mercurio commented during filming: “Everyone at HTM Television has felt privileged to dramatise Rachel Clarke’s hauntingly illuminating memoir of health workers struggling to cope with the extraordinary challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"I’m honoured to have collaborated with Rachel and Prasanna on this important drama, and thrilled to be working with a cast led by Joanne Froggatt and crew led by director Craig Viveiros.”
Breathtaking is a three-part drama, produced in association with Northern Ireland Screen and filming took place in Belfast from April to May of this year.
Once filming wrapped, Joanne Froggatt commented: “I feel truly honoured to be playing Dr Abbey Henderson in Breathtaking, based on Dr Rachel Clarke’s beautifully written, poignant and shocking book of the same name.
When I first read the incredible scripts, they moved me to tears on many occasions. I felt so passionately that I had to be a part of telling this story, the real story, of what was really happening behind the closed doors of the hospitals during the pandemic.”
“Our NHS staff are nothing less than absolute heroes in my eyes, and I hope telling this story goes a little way towards us understanding their truth, their lived experience and honouring their unbelievable commitment and sacrifice on behalf of us all.”
When is Breathtaking going to air?
No date has been shared just yet, but we’ll keep you posted.
Check out some of the other popular shows filmed here in Northern Ireland 👇
Where is Derry Girls filmed?
Ever since Lisa McGee gave us the brilliant sitcom Derry Girls back in 2018, fans have been in hysterics at the show, which follows main character Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) and her friends navigating Northern Ireland in the 90's.
As it says on the tin, the majority of series one, two and three were filmed in Derry, but filming did also take place in Belfast, as well as some places in the Republic Of Ireland.
Line of Duty: Filming locations
Series one of Jed Mercurio's much-loved Line of Duty was filmed in Birmingham in England, but bosses moved filming to Belfast for series two-six.
During filming for series five, residents in County Down shared pictures of the crew at work in Dundonald. Speaking to Belfast Live, actor Martin Compston, (Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott) said, "Aidy knows everyone and he's so proud of where he's from. He's a great guide for us because he loves Belfast. He's really keen to show the place off so he's always taking us to gigs, shows and different restaurants."
Where was Blue Lights filmed?
BBC drama Blue Lights, which landed in 2023, follows three rookie police officers working in Belfast, with filming taking place across the city.
Filming locations include The Peace Wall, The Dirty Duck Alehouse, Commercial Court, York Road Police Station, Stormont Parliament Building, Hawthorne Motors, Waterfront Plaza, Craigantlet, The Arc Apartments, and Garnerville - Northern Ireland Police College.
The Fall: Filming locations
Although The Fall first aired in the UK in 2013, the series was binged yet again in 2020 when it landed on Netflix, leaving viewers hooked on the drama with main characters Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) and Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson).
All three series of The Fall were filmed mainly in and around Belfast, with a number of high-profile buildings and landmarks being spotted, including The Obel Tower and The Waterfront Hall.
Ulsterville Avenue and Rugby Road were also popular streets where the brilliant drama was filmed.
A number of famous hotels in Belfast also made an appearance in the series, such as Malmaison Hotel, The Holiday Inn, Hilton Hotel and The Merchant Hotel.
Where was Game Of Thrones filmed?
There's not many people on the planet these days that haven't seen at least one episode of HBO fantasy drama Game Of Thrones.
Although the popular show is now over, with no more series in the pipe line, GOT holds a special place in Northern Ireland, with filming taking place for series one-eight across over 25 different locations in the country.
Some of the main filming locations include, Titanic Studios in Belfast, Cushendun Caves, Murlough Bay, Ballintoy Harbour, Larrybane, Antrim plateau, Castle Ward, Inch Abbey and Downhill Strand.
Check out which GOT filming locations are worth visiting in Northern Ireland right here.
Where is Bloodlands filmed?
Harland & Wolff, Titanic Quarter! Perhaps one of the most poignant landmarks in Belfast, there was no disguising the huge yellow cranes that tower over the capital city.
Where was Marcella series 3 filmed?
Although series one and two of ITV's crime drama Marcella was filmed in and around London, series three moved to Belfast in Northern Ireland, with actress Anna Friel portraying her new undercover persona, Keira Devlin.
Speaking about filming in Belfast, actress Amanda Burton, who plays the role of Katherine Maguire in series three, said: "I spent a lot of time in a beautiful house that was Katherine's home. It was wonderful because we were right in the middle of the gorgeous countryside in this rather enormous house. There was actually a llama born one morning as we walked past one of the paddocks and that was really exciting. We were all very keen to see how the llama did and, safe to say, it was flourishing by the time we left.
"I equally loved being out on the streets… I truly love Belfast and I've got to know it in a different way to than I did previously. Whenever I had a day off I'd walk around the city, chatting to people and soaking up the vibes of the place."
Torvill & Dean: Filming locations
Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean's biopic, which first aired on Christmas Day back in 2018, was also filmed in Belfast.
Cast and crew took over a number of locations in the city for a number of weeks, including The SSE Arena, Templeton Hotel, Ardoyne Community Center, Edenderry Village, Waterfront Hall, Shankill Road Leisure Center and Queens University.
Paula: Filming locations
RTÉ One series Paula was quickly likened to The Fall when it first hit our TV screens in May 2017, and it turns out the filming locations were pretty similar too.
Just like The Fall, drama series Paula was filmed in and around Belfast, despite actually being set in Dublin.
Filming locations included, Musgrave Park Hospital, St. Annes Square, Belfast Road and Carrickfergus.
Where was The Deceived filmed?
After his break-out role in Normal People at the beginning of 2020, Irish actor Paul Mescal went on to appear in Lisa McGee and Tobias Beer's Channel 5 thriller The Deceived.
The show, which also featured Irish actors Emmett J. Scanlan and Catherine Walker, features heavily on a house in 'Knockdara', but it was actually filmed at Holestone House in Doagh, County Antrim.
Bosses also used a number of other locations and buildings as stand ins, with Killyleagh Castle in Country Down acting as Cambridge University on the show.
Other filming locations on The Deceived include Queens University, Campbell College, Planet Bingo, St Anne's Cathedral, The Merchant. The Shore Café and Titanic Quarter.
Mrs Wilson: Filming locations
Despite BBC's 2018 mini series Mrs Wilson actually being set in London between World War 2 and the 1960s, the show was filmed across Northern Ireland.
As well as some filming in Belfast at locations such as Custom House, Queen's Arcade and RBAI, the cast and crew also took over the likes of Galgorm Castle, Kilmacrew House, the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and Ballywalter Park.
The Frankenstein Chronicles: Filming locations
Filmed back in 2015, The Frankenstein Chronicles was a period crime drama which reimagined Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein.
Although it was set in 1832 London, series 1 and 2 were both filmed on location in Belfast, with bosses making use of the city's historic warehouses and architecture.
Filming also took place in both County Down and County Antrim.
Where was Dublin Murders filmed?
Unlike the title says, BBC's 2019 crime drama Dublin Murders wasn't actually filmed in Dublin entirely.
Although some filming took place there, a lot of it was filmed in Belfast, at locations such as Gasworks Business Park, Crumlin Road Gaol, Cromac Street Car Park and Tollymore Forest.
Was Krypton filmed in Northern Ireland?
American TV series Krypton, which focuses on the grandfather of DC Comics superhero Kal-El/Superman, was actually filmed in Belfast for its second series.
Despite filming taking place in Canada for series one, bosses hired two 65,000 sq ft stages at Belfast Harbour Studios for series two, spending a reported £1 million per episode on visual effects.
Sadly, the show was scrapped after series two.
Was World on Fire filmed in Northern Ireland?
BBC One series World On Fire tells the story of the war through the eyes of ordinary people whose lives have been thrown into chaos. Filming took places in a number of locations including Killyleagh Castle Co Down and Titanic Studios in Belfast.
Where was Breathtaking filmed?
Breathtaking a brand new three-part drama series which gives a thought-provoking and poignant account of an NHS doctor in the eye of the storm during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The series was filmed Belfast, Northern Ireland between April-May 2023.
Dead and Buried: Filming Locations
This new BBC physiological thriller stars Annabel Scholey (The Split) and Colin Morgan (Belfast). Re-traumatised by her past, Cathy (Annabel) instigates a clandestine relationship with the man she despises Michael (Colin), embarking on a campaign of harassment and deceit. Filming took place on both sides of the border for Dead and Buried, including Derry/Londonderry.
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