Filming has begun in Scotland for The Control Room, our new thriller written by BAFTA and RTS award-winning Nick Leather (Mothers’ Day, Murdered for Being Different) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Iain De Caestecker (Us, Roadkill, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D) and Joanna Vanderham (Dancing on the Edge, The Go-Between, Man in an Orange Shirt) will lead the cast of the three-part drama, which will be directed by Amy Neil (Trust Me, Hanna). Further cast includes Sharon Rooney (My Mad Fat Diary, The Capture, Finding Alice), Daniel Portman (Game of Thrones, Vigil), Taj Atwal (The Syndicate, Line of Duty) and Stuart Bowman (Bodyguard, Versailles).
A gripping new thriller set in Glasgow, The Control Room tells the story of Gabe (De Caestecker), an ordinary man who works as an emergency call handler for the Scottish Ambulance Service in Glasgow. His world is turned upside down when he receives a desperate life-and-death call from a woman who appears to know him. With Gabe under pressure to work out who she is, he makes a decision that threatens to have devastating consequences.
Nick’s beautiful scripts tell a truly unique story, full of passion, emotion and intrigue.
Iain De Caestecker says: “The Control Room is one of the most exciting scripts I’ve ever read, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, so I’m thrilled to now be bringing it to life. I’ve always loved working with the BBC and am especially delighted to be filming alongside this fantastic cast and crew in my hometown of Glasgow.”
Joanna Vanderham says: “I am so excited for the opportunity to bring Nick Leather’s incredibly complex characters to life. Filming in my home country of Scotland is always special, and my research for the character means I’ve been reminiscing about my own adolescence. The BBC create some of the best global programming there is and Amy Neil is going to add The Control Room to their exceptional catalogue. I can’t wait for people to see what we do!”
Elaine Cameron, Executive Producer for Hartswood Films, says: “Nick Leather has written a roller-coaster ride of a story that will thrill audiences with every twist and turn. We are delighted to have such a visionary director in Amy Neil she’s like a tiny Scottish female Hitchcock! As with many Hartswood dramas, we are incredibly lucky to have attracted some amazing acting talent. Iain and Joanna are electrifying and are supported by a brilliant cast of Scottish actors.”
Gaynor Holmes, Commissioning Editor for the BBC says: “We’re delighted to be working with Hartswood on this exciting new show. Nick’s beautiful scripts tell a truly unique story, full of passion, emotion and intrigue. I can’t wait to see them brought to life by this brilliantly talented cast and crew.”
The Control Room is a 3×60” for BBC One and BBC iPlayer and will be executive produced by Elaine Cameron for Hartswood Films and Gaynor Holmes for the BBC. Eric Coulter (Bodyguard, Our Girl, Shetland) is the producer and Amy Neil is directing. Filming is taking place in Glasgow and the surrounding areas and transmission details will follow in due course.
The Production is distributed by All3 Media International and supported by Creative Scotland.