THE PRICE OF PAIN

Grieving parents fight for the truth after a devastating tragedy in Sarah Lancashire’s new drama The Accident

Given she’s at the pinnacle of her career, it is perhaps no surprise Sarah Lancashire is now having roles written especially for her. Acclaimed screenwriter Jack Thorne created the role of working-class mother Polly Bevan in his new Channel 4 series The Accident for Sarah, after he was bowled over by her performance in his previous drama Kiri. And Sarah had no hesitation in saying yes – despite the fact it meant mastering the ‘incredibly difficult’ Welsh accent.

‘I didn’t know he was doing it at first,’ says Sarah. ‘My agent sent it to me and said, “By the way, Jack wrote this for you,” which is such a privilege. But it’s a tough drama, and I’m one of only two non-welsh people in it playing Welsh, so there’s an element of responsibility there too.’

The Accident is the third in a trilogy by Jack, coming after the Bafta-winning National Treasure, about historic sex abuse, and child-abduction drama Kiri. ‘The plan was to have different actors every time,’ explains Jack. ‘But Sarah was so amazing in Kiri I threw that idea away.’

The four-part series begins with an explosion on a building site, followed by the collapse of the building and the deaths of eight children who were hanging out inside, as well as a security guard. Sarah’s character is one of several parents who band together to pursue a claim against the construction firm for corporate manslaughter.

The idea was inspired by reallife events such as the Grenfell Tower fire, the Aberfan disaster in 1966 and the Hillsborough tragedy. As well as focusing on the court case, the series explores what happens to the mothers whose children were caught up in the accident. Polly’s daughter Leona, 15, who led her friends onto the site, is the sole survivor, which means Polly feels guilt towards the bereaved parents including her best friend Angela (Joanna Scanlan) and Greta (Eiry Thomas). ‘It’s a huge test of their friendship,’ says Joanna. ‘Angela can’t even admit to herself how angry she is that Polly’s daughter survived and hers didn’t.’

Angela is the driving force

behind the civil case, rallying the troops to help her even though they know that very few people have ever been charged with corporate manslaughter. Representing the company is senior vice president Harriet Paulsen, played by Borgen actress Sidse Babbett Knudsen. ‘Angela just sees Harriet as a rich bitch who killed her daughter,’ says Joanna.

Sidse admits that her well-heeled character represents the inequality of such situations when workingclass people go up against companies worth millions. ‘It’s infuriating if you feel certain lives are valued more than others,’ she says. ‘Corporations have expensive lawyers who are ready to go if there’s a lawsuit. It’s never a fair game.’

The Accident, Thursday, 9pm, Ch4.