Sheridan Smith has signed up to lead a brand new TV drama, Care, written by celebrated screenwriter Jimmy McGovern.
The 90-minute drama, which will air on BBC One, is co-written by Gillian Juckes, whose own life formed the inspiration for the story.
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According to the BBC, Care will see Cilla star Smith play Jenny, a single mother to two girls who manages to hold down a job thanks to help from her widowed mother Mary, played by Gavin & Stacey's Alison Steadman.
But after Mary suffers a stroke and develops dementia, Jenny's life starts to unravel and she and her sister Claire (Little Boy Blue actress Sinead Keenan) must find new ways to cope.
Jenny soon discovers that another way of life could be possible, but she'll have to fight hard for it.
McGovern, who is the writer behind Broken and The Accused, said: "A great cast, a wonderful director and a superb co-writer! I'm really looking forward to making this."
Juckes added: "It has been a great experience working with Jimmy and a wonderful opportunity to write about a subject very close to my heart."
Controller of BBC Drama Piers Wenger praised the cast and crew of the new drama, saying: "They tell a truly remarkable story of one woman's battle to get the best care for her mother.
"The cast, led by the wonderful Sheridan Smith, will portray this poignant story with the warmth and gravitas it deserves."
Filming for Care is set to take place in Liverpool imminently, with no air date currently announced.
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Reporter & Sub-Editor, Digital Spy Susannah is a freelance writer and sub-editor, specialising in the entertainment industry. She graduated in 2014, with a BA in English and American Literature and Creative Writing, and an MA in Creative Producing. She’s been writing for Digital Spy ever since, after first getting involved through work experience, and has written hundreds of stories for the site on a range of topics, from The Sims to Doctor Who. Susannah has also written for Reveal Magazine. Her special interests are soaps (her Mastermind subject would be 2000s Coronation Street), Marvel and Star Wars. She can also quote far too many lines from Friends and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
