She’ll soon be piloting the TARDIS, but Jodie Whittaker becomes a doctor of a very different kind in new BBC drama Trust Me. As we preview the first episode of the series, is everything truly as it seems…?
Not all is well in the world of Cath Hardacre, a skilled and hardworking nurse whose life is about to change forever. Disgusted by some of the poor procedures in her workplace, she decides to turn whistle-blower. Unfortunately, the only thing she ends up blowing are her career prospects. Her crusade for justice spectacularly backfires and she finds herself jobless and suspended. Desperate for work, she steals her best friend’s identity and begins to masquerade as a doctor. She may be back on the payroll, but has she bitten off more than she can chew?
Of course, the main draw of Trust Me for many will be its star, Jodie Whittaker. If so, you can rest assured that this is very much a show piece for the incoming Time Lord. If you’ve never seen her acting before, or just want a refresher of everything she’s capable of, this is absolutely worth you tuning in for. From the opening seconds, it’s clear that the show very much places Jodie front and centre. And, more importantly, she’s extremely able to step up to the task. The future of Doctor Who looks to be in very safe hands with Whittaker.
It’s also a relief that Trust Me is engrossing entertainment on its own merits, too. While the central premise may require some suspension of disbelief, it undoubtedly opens up a lot of possibilities for drama. This first episode acts very much as set-up, with its hour-long run-time peppered with hints at where the series might go next. It’s not water-tight, and plenty of plot points do remain in limbo. And yet, certain outcomes still seem inevitable for Cath. When the proverbial does hit the fan as the series goes on, Trust Me has the potential to turn into something really quite spectacular…
Episode 1 airs on BBC One at 21:00 on Tuesday 8th August, 2017.
Synopsis
Driven to desperate measures, nurse Cath Hardacre assumes the identity of her best friend, an A&E doctor, and finds work in a struggling emergency department.
Cast
- Cath Hardacre – Jodie Whittaker
- Andy Brenner – Emun Elliott
- Brigitte Rayne – Sharon Small
- Karl – Blake Harrison
- Sam Kelly – Nathan Welsh
- Karen – Lois Chimimba
- Ally Sutton – Andrea Lowe
- Charlie McKee – Michael Abubakar
- Arthur Hardacre – Paul Copley
- Lynn – Lisa Livingstone
- Gerry – David Ireland
- Dr Hattie – Hannah Jarrett-Scott
- Molly Hardacre – Summer Mason
- Nursing Director – Emma Dewhurst
- Patient Liaison OffIcer – Laurietta Essien
- Cabby – Paul Donnelly
- Mona McBride – Cara Kelly
- Alex Constantine – Thierry Mabonga
- ED Receptionist – Kirsty Mackay
- Alan Turner – Kenny Blyth
- Mrs Kieman – Anne Kidd
- Jamie – William Ruane
- Orthopaedic Surgeon – Clare Waugh
- Jenny – Ella Victoria Robb
- Brenda Hicks – Rebecca Clay
- Martine – Emma Handy
- Cyclist – Gordon Brown
- Sharon – Gail Kemp
Crew
- Producer – Emily Feller
- Director – John Alexander
- Writer – Dan Sefton
- Executive Producer – Nicola Shindler
- Composer – Ben Onono
- Production Company – Red Production Company
