Day Britain Stopped, The (BBC-2 2003 with Joanna Griffiths and Eric Carte)

UK / BBC Two – Wall to Wall / 1×90 minute episode / Broadcast 13 May 2003

Writers: Simon Finch, Gabriel Range / Producer: Simon Finch / Director: Gabriel Range

A drama told in the style of a retrospective documentary “re-telling” the events of 19th December 2003 when events conspired to cause the worst ever day for Britain’s transport system using news footage from the day.

A national rail strike made the roads extra busy on one of the busiest days of the year – road accidents meant the closing of key motorways causing huge jams – this delayed air traffic controllers arriving for their shift replacements and with the earlier shift over-tired a calamitous mistake resulted in a mid-air plane collision over London.

All “news” footage was specially shot and hindsight eyewitness interview clips were played by actors.

Narrated by Tim Pigott-Smith

cast
Joanna Griffiths as Nicola Evans
Eric Carte as Tom Walker
Steve North as Julian Gait
Nancy McClean as Jane Newell
Andy Shield as Clive Turner
Jonathan Linsley as Tony Foster
Olivia MacDonald as Marina Gait
Angelo Andreou as Tomas Gait
Emma Pinto as Ana Gait
Prue Clarke as Pauline Watkins
Anna Rajan as Herself
Tony Longhurst as Steve Thomas
Satnam Bhogal as Inesh Gunwardena
Daniel Copeland as Matt Ogden
David Holt as Dominic Steel
Tim Crouch as Daniel Boyd
Rebekah Janes as Concerned Woman
Alison Skot as Air Traffic Controller