Adrian Lester & John Simm to Star in ITV Thriller Trauma

John Simm (State of Play, Exile, Prey) and Adrian Lester (Hustle, Undercover, London Spy) have been cast as leads in the new three-part thriller Trauma for ITV.

The original drama is written by Mike Bartlett (Doctor Foster, The Town) and directed by Marc Evans (Hinterland, Safe House, Aberfan Young Wives’ Club). Lester will star as family man Jon Allerton, a well-educated, confident and high achieving trauma surgeon. Simm will play Dan Bowker, a factory manager struggling to cope as his life unravels around him. The three-part psychological thriller will follow the lives of the two fathers, whose worlds collide when Dan’s 15-year-old son Alex is stabbed and tragically dies in the trauma department attended by Allerton.

Producer Catherine Oldfield, who developed the show with 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.”

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, an ITV Studios label. ITV Studios Global Entertainment will handle international distribution.