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Owen Sheers NHS drama explores 'what lies at its heart'

BBC Martin FreemanBBC
Martin Freeman plays the part of a consultant cardiologist in the drama

Michael Sheen, Eve Myles and Martin Freeman are among famous faces who will try to explain what lies at the heart of the NHS in a new television drama.

Emotional experiences from a single day in a hospital will be told from the viewpoint of patients, porters, midwives and surgeons.

Writer Owen Sheers interviewed people using and working in the service for the To Provide All People production.

It will be broadcast on Thursday to celebrate the NHS' 70th anniversary.

The service was founded in July 1948 by Welshman Aneurin Bevan and, to mark this, Sheers was commissioned to research what lies at its heart.

Nia Roberts
Welsh actress Nia Roberts helps tell the story of the NHS through personal experiences of people involved
To Provide All People cast
Suzanne Packer, Michael Sheen and Eve Myles all appear in the drama
Jonathan Pryce
Flintshire-born Jonathan Pryce has a 40-year film career

He described the experience as "fascinating", adding: "(It) only strengthened my belief that it is still, 70 years on, the most radically beautiful and practically successful idea that politics has ever made manifest."

Sheers, a novelist, playwright and poet, worked with the same team who he put together the award-winning drama Aberfan: The Green Hollow, with.

Other actors and actresses involved include Suzanne Packer, Michelle Collins, Jonathan Pryce and Tamsin Greig.

BBC Wales head of commissioning Nick Andrews said: "To Provide All People is an important and exciting commission for us and one that celebrates and recognises the people working in one of our most important public services.

  • To Provide All People - BBC One Wales, 21:00 BST on 28 June