Adrian Lester and John Simm to star in Trauma

Adrian Lester and John Simm to star in Trauma, new three part thriller by Mike Bartlett for ITV

ITV and Tall Story Pictures today announced casting for Trauma, an original drama written by multi award-winning playwright and dramatist, Mike Bartlett (Doctor Foster, The Town) and directed by Marc Evans (Hinterland. Safe House 1 & 2, Aberfan Young Wives’ Club). Adrian Lester (Hustle, Undercover, London Spy) will star as family man Jon Allerton, a well-educated, confident and high achieving trauma surgeon. John Simm (State of Play, Exile, Prey) stars as Dan Bowker, a factory manager struggling to cope as his life unravels around him.

Trauma also stars Rowena King (Of Kings and Profits, Lie To Me, The Bucket List) who plays Lisa Allerton, a successful psychiatrist, wife of Jon and mother of their 18-year-old daughter Alana, played by Jade Anouka (Chewing Gum, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man). Lyndsey Marshal (Trespass Against Us, From Darkness, Rome) stars as Susie Bowker, Dan’s hard-working wife and mother of his three children, Alex, Catherine and Mark.

The three-part psychological thriller centres on the lives of two fathers, Dan and Jon, whose lives collide when Dan’s 15 year-old son Alex is stabbed and tragically dies in the trauma department attended by high-achieving consultant Allerton.

Devastated, heartbroken and pushed to the edge, Dan believes Jon is responsible for Alex’s death. As he strives for justice, Dan begins to unpick the very fabric of Jon's life as his own unravels in the wake of Alex’s killing.

Trauma is an intricate, fast-paced thriller that questions what makes a man good and explores what happens when the very institutions established to protect us and those who represent them, let us down.

Producer, Catherine Oldfield, who developed the show with Mike Bartlett, said, "We are delighted to have such a fantastic cast, led by John and Adrian, to bring this gripping modern British story to the screen for ITV. ”

Mike Bartlett added, “I wrote Trauma knowing we needed, and hoping we'd get, hugely talented actors for the roles. But this cast has exceeded expectations. I'm a huge fan of all of them individually and can't wait to see them on screen together.”

ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill said, "Mike Bartlett's brilliant new contemporary drama, Trauma, is a moving and powerful story about a father who loses his son, and the surgeon who tried to save him. I am delighted that John Simm and Adrian Lester are to play the two men at the heart of this drama. Mike's incredible scripts take the two men on an intense, emotional and complex journey and John and Adrian will be magnificent. It will be a real treat for our audience next year."

Trauma is produced by Tall Story Pictures, the ITV Studios label founded in 2016 by Creative Director Francis Hopkinson & Executive Producer Catherine Oldfield. Francis Hopkinson will executive produce the new series alongside Mike Bartlett. Trauma has been commissioned for ITV by Head of Drama, Polly Hill. ITV Studios GE is responsible for international distribution.

The series begins filming in June 2017 in and around London.