Joanne Froggatt Interview on New ITV Drama “Breathtaking”

It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our lives. From the strain on healthcare systems to the devastating loss of loved ones, the world has been forever changed by this global crisis. And now, in an upcoming drama series titled “Breathtaking,” audiences will get an intimate look at the struggles faced by NHS medics during the height of the pandemic.

Set to air on ITV, “Breathtaking” follows the harrowing journey of Dr. Abbey Henderson, played by the talented Joanne Froggatt. In the midst of the first wave of Covid-19 patients, Abbey and her team are faced with unimaginable challenges – from shortages of PPE and staff to the heart-wrenching decisions they must make as the pandemic continues to escalate.

Joanne sat down and shared her thoughts on why she wanted to be involved in “Breathtaking,” saying, “I had worked with our director Craig Viveiros before on Angela Black and he approached me about Breathtaking. It sounded an incredibly important project to be a part of. Then I was sent the scripts and they just blew me away. They are some of the best scripts I’ve ever read. Definitely in the top percentage of great scripts I have read in my time. So that obviously was a huge factor. Just from a dramatic point of view.”

She further expressed her shock and emotional connection to the story, stating, “Reading the scripts I was very moved and shocked. Also moved to be involved in telling this story. I was shocked by what was really going on behind the closed doors of the hospitals here in the UK. We’d had little insights, bits and pieces we were told. But the story the public was fed by the government through the media is very different from what was actually happening. And so I was really shocked. I actually cried just reading the scripts. I don’t think that’s happened to me before. So it was a no-brainer for me to be involved.”

Joanne’s dedication to her role as Dr. Abbey Henderson extended beyond reading the scripts. She explained, “I started with reading the scripts and looking up all of the medical terms so I could get a broader sense of what was what. Then I read Rachel Clarke’s book Breathtaking and also her previous book called Dear Life which was about her experience as a palliative care doctor before Covid. Rachel Clarke is an extremely inspiring human being.”

She shared how Rachel’s experiences influenced her portrayal of Abbey, saying, “I wanted to bring that into Abbey who is a fictionalized character. She’s not Rachel. But it was really helpful to listen to Rachel’s experiences with patients in their last few days of their lives. How that feels for a doctor, what her responsibilities are and what her emotional connection to that is. How much she cared for her patients. How much she really cares for each human being that she looked after and their families and loved ones. And how linking those things together was really helpful.”

When it came to the filming process, Joanne explained, “Our medical advisors Thom and Andrew filled our brains with so much knowledge in such a short space of time. We couldn’t have coped without them. They were incredible. They talked us through the basics of hospital care and what you would be dealing with during Covid. Plus everything that comes up in the script. But also teaching us how to look like we know how to do the procedures. That gave us a great base understanding. So when we were saying the lines and using the medical terms we knew what we were talking about. And it sounds obvious and simple but it is really important. Because if you don’t believe what you are saying then no-one else is going to believe it.”

Joanne also expressed her appreciation for the real-life NHS professionals who were involved in the filming process, stating, “We had a team of other medical experts on set, including another doctor and three intensive care nurses for when we were doing scenes in the ITU (Intensive Therapy Unit). It was fantastic to be able to speak to all of those NHS professionals and to chat so openly about their experiences. Not just for the technical side. Andrew and Thom especially were brilliant at explaining to us the emotional side of what they went through.”

When discussing her character, Joanne described Dr. Abbey Henderson as an NHS consultant in acute medicine who cares deeply about her patients and is dedicated to doing her best for them. She stated, “Most of the doctors I’ve spoken to for my research say the same as Rachel. You’re used to organised chaos. But you have the steps you go through. Your ABC – airwaves, breathing, circulation – and so on in an emergency situation. Once those things are OK, you find out the root cause and then take action. It’s a list of steps always in a doctor’s mind. But Covid was completely unknown. Not just in terms of their patients but also in how safe they are themselves. And as we know, many of them weren’t. How much they were putting themselves and their families at risk. What are they taking home to their families? I see it as more like fighting a war with something you can’t see. And our NHS frontline workers were the people fighting that war.”

Delving deeper into the series, Joanne discussed the challenges faced by the cast and crew while filming scenes that reflected the reality of NHS workers during the pandemic. She explained, “It was never out of my mind that every scenario we were filming was based on a real scenario. Every patient character is based on a real person and their real family and their real loved ones. It was an incredibly unique experience because of that. I don’t think there was anybody on the set that didn’t have a moment where they felt slightly overwhelmed by it during filming.”

The emotional impact of the series and the personal experiences of loss felt by many involved made filming difficult at times. Joanne shared, “Many people, including myself, had moments where it was very emotional to film. It was very real and there were moments where it just hit you.”

Discussing the dedication and sacrifices of NHS workers, Joanne expressed her admiration and anger at the challenges they faced, stating, “We see Abbey angry and upset. And it made me so angry on their behalf. But they carried on. They put their own lives at risk and the lives of their loved ones to care for us as a nation. And with not just inadequate but sometimes no PPE. It’s amazing. They really are heroes to me. They carried on and did their job and put their patients first above everything else.”

Joanne also touched on the impact the pandemic had on her own perspective, saying, “It has changed my views on death… and life. It’s not something that I’d never thought of or had never crossed my mind before but I came away from filming Breathtaking feeling incredibly grateful for my life and for life in general.”

In conclusion, Joanne expressed her gratitude and honor in being a part of “Breathtaking” and telling this important story. She said, “I’m filled with gratitude to have been involved with Breathtaking. That I was trusted to play Abbey. I feel really honoured to be able to be a small part of telling this story that I think is so important. It has given me a real renewed sense of gratitude for life.”

As audiences await the release of “Breathtaking,” it is clear that Joanne Froggatt’s involvement in the series has left a lasting impact on her own perspective and appreciation for the heroes who battled the pandemic on the frontlines. Through her dedication to her role and the authentic portrayal of the challenges faced by NHS workers, Froggatt brings a powerful and emotionally charged performance to the screen.

Breathtaking Premieres Monday 19 February on ITV1.