NENT Studios UK reveals cast for ‘Close to Me’, now in production - Susan Lynch, Leanne Best, Ray Fearon, Henning Jensen, Rosy McEwen, Tom Taylor and Nick Blood among those joining Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston

NENT Studios UK, part of Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), is pleased to confirm the key cast members joining lead actors Connie Nielsen (Wonder Woman, Gladiator) and Christopher Eccleston (The A Word, Doctor Who) in ‘Close to Me’. This 6 x 60 original production, from NENT Studios UK, The Development Partnership and Dopamine, will be a Viaplay Original premiering exclusively on NENT Group’s Viaplay streaming service across the Nordic and Baltic regions in 2021 and on Channel 4 in the UK.

Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston play married couple Jo and Rob Harding. Their children, Finn and Sash, are played by Tom Taylor (Us, Doctor Foster) and Rosy McEwen (The Angel of Darkness).

Jo’s best friend Cathy is played by Susan Lynch (Save Me, Unforgotten), while Leanne Best (Young Wallander, Cold Feet) stars as Rob’s co-worker Anna. High-profile Danish actor Henning Jensen (When the Dust Settles, Below the Surface) features as Jo’s father Frederik, while Ellie Haddington (Enola Holmes, Motherland) plays her neighbour Wendy. Ray Fearon (Da Vinci’s Demons, His Dark Materials) plays Jo’s boss Nick and Nick Blood (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Strike) stars as Sash’s boyfriend Thomas. Jamie Flatters (Liar, Avatar 2) plays Owen and Lorraine Burroughs (Hard Sun, Last Tango in Halifax) stars as Helen.

Richard Halliwell, CEO of NENT Studios UK comments: “The team has gathered an exceptionally talented, high-profile and very current cast for ‘Close to Me’, with the perfect mix of popular established stars such as Susan Lynch, Leanne Best and Henning Jensen, as well as rising hot properties such as Tom Taylor and Rosy McEwen. We are thrilled to have attracted such talent to our first original production and are confident that the on-screen talent, in conjunction with the terrific off-screen team already announced, promises to make this drama a ‘must-see’ in 2021.”

‘Close to Me’ is the story of Jo Harding (Connie Nielsen), a woman who seems to have it all – a beautiful house in the country, a loving family and a devoted husband (Christopher Eccleston). But following a fall, an entire year suddenly vanishes from Jo’s memory. As she struggles to piece events together, Jo discovers that her life wasn’t quite as perfect as she imagined – and that someone will do all they can to keep a terrible secret from her. ‘Close to Me’ is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by British author Amanda Reynolds.

Angela Pell (Snow Cake, Gifted) has written the screenplay, Michael Samuels (The Windermere Children, The Missing, Any Human Heart) is directing, while Gina Carter (Yardie, In the Long Run, Kingdom) is the executive producer, alongside Robert Taylor and Ed Clarke of TDP, Dave Clarke from NENT Studios UK and Connie Nielsen.

‘Close to Me’ is just into production, filming in London, Hertfordshire and East Sussex. It is being distributed internationally by NENT Studios UK.

NOTES TO EDITORS

NENT Studios UK (www.nentstudiosuk.com) is part of NENT Studios, which is one of the world’s leading creators, producers and distributors of scripted and unscripted programming, commercials, events and branded content. With 32 companies in 17 countries, NENT Studios operates through three divisions - Nordics and Central & Eastern Europe, the UK, and the US. NENT Studios is behind acclaimed works in genres ranging from drama, factual and documentary to reality, game shows and lifestyle.

NENT Studios is part of Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), the Nordic region’s leading entertainment provider. Headquartered in Stockholm, NENT Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (`NENT A' and `NENT B'). NENT Group has also formed a UK based joint venture with FilmNation Entertainment and invested in new US studio Picturestart. Learn more atwww.nentgroup.com.

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For information about NENT Studios UK, please contact

Michelle Waldron, Beyond the Box

michelle@beyond-the-box.tv

+44 (0) 7768 568970

For information about NENT Group, please contact:

press@nentgroup.com or Nicholas Smith, Acting Head of External Communications +46 73 699 26 95