Love Actually icon confirmed to join James Bond star in emotional romantic drama tackling Parkinson's disease
Laura Linney and Rory Kinnear are among the stars of But When We Dance.
The all-star cast has been confirmed for a new BBC drama film, But When We Dance, with Love Actually's Laura Linney and star of multiple James Bond films, Rory Kinnear, amongst them.
The 90-minute film, which has been written by Paul Mayhew-Archer (The Vicar of Dibley) and will be directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love), is set and will be filmed in North Norfolk, with Rhys Ifans (House of the Dragon) playing Tony Evans, the deputy head of a local primary school.
Meanwhile, Linney plays Emma Dretzin, a pianist, composer and single mother of two daughters. A startling encounter between Tony and Emma changes the course of their lives, as on the same morning, they are both confronted with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.
Mayhew-Archer, who has Parkinson's himself, will also star, alongside Ifans, Linney, Kinnear and Monica Dolan (Black Mirror), with further casting to be announced.
Mayhew-Archer said in a statement: "In 2011, when I was 58 years old, I was told I had Parkinson’s. It’s incurable and it makes many of the things I do – walking, talking, smiling – increasingly difficult. But though I have reasons to hate Parkinson’s it has also brought me opportunities I wouldn’t have missed for the world.
"The latest of these is the chance to work with the brilliant director John Madden and wonderful actors on bringing this story to life. So, thank you Parkinson’s. My fingers may fumble, my mouth may mumble and each step I take may result in a stumble. But I cannot grumble."
Meanwhile, Madden added: "I am really looking forward to telling the story of Tony and Emma – a friendship which unfolds unexpectedly. A story of humour and emotion, of challenge and bravado, of music and dance – transcending the assumptions of a little understood condition, and triumphing over the odds to find joy, release and love."
Parkinson’s UK estimates that someone is diagnosed with Parkinson’s every 20 minutes in the UK and around 166,000 people have Parkinson’s in the UK alone.
But When We Dance will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
