British TV fans up and down the country will have undoubtedly noticed that their mainstream viewing choices have become somewhat limited over the last month or two. Lockdown has had a detrimental impact upon the television industry, with actors, directors, producers and so forth being unable to work due to social distancing guidelines and the threat of COVID-19. This has resulted in an increase of episode repeats in TV listings, alongside a weekly rationing of the nation’s favourite soaps and shows. Therefore, when The Salisbury Poisonings appeared on BBC One on the 14th of June, it is no surprise that it attracted around 7.2 million viewers.
The three-part series depicted the unforeseen circumstances which the English city of Salisbury fell victim to in 2018. This began with the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, an agent for Britain’s intelligence services, and his daughter Yulia Skripal. What unfolded as a result of this incident sparked both a national, and international, media frenzy that caused a wave of panic across the city. The BBC’s 2020 dramatisation of these events brings to light what has specifically lingered in our memories from media reports at the time, whilst simultaneously clarifying anything that may remain unclear to us two years on.
We begin from the moment of the Skripal family poisoning. Immediately, the audience witness the horror of the scene, which shows two individuals struggling for life in the city centre on a park bench on a Sunday afternoon. Watching the horrifying, yet accurate representation of the poisoning, reminds of the collective shock that Britain, and the world, experienced upon discovering that a Novichok nerve agent was the root of the cause.
Within each episode, the audience are given an insight into the challenges and obstacles faced by the Director of Public Health and Safety, Tracy Daszkiewicz (Anne-Marie Duff) as she navigates her way around the unprecedented danger that Salisbury faced. Duff conducts an exceptional portrayal of Daszkiewicz as we witness her determination to keep the citizens of Salisbury safe. We are encouraged to empathise with the way in which her level of responsibility, under such dangerous and complicated circumstances, impacts her professional and personal relationships.
The Salisbury Poisonings not only provides a look at the political turmoil that occurred at this time, but also the danger that the nerve agent inflicted upon specific citizens of Salisbury. Rafe Spall plays DS Nick Bailey, a member of the police force who suffered near-fatal health complications as a result of being poisoned by the nerve agent whilst on duty. Spall presents a truly moving performance as we see his character fighting to remain strong, both physically and mentally, for the sake of his family.
However, the third and final episode of the series is where the true tragedy lies. Some months after the poisonings of DS Bailey and the Skripal family, the city of Salisbury slowly begins to recover, only to discover that they are not out of the woods yet. In previous episodes, the character of Dawn Sturgess (MyAnna Burning), a citizen of Salisbury, struggled to maintain her relationship with her daughter as a result of a dependency upon alcohol. Dawn’s crucial role in the narrative becomes clear as her boyfriend (Johnny Harris) gifts her some perfume, without knowing that the bottle in fact contained the deadly nerve agent. After falling seriously ill, Dawn loses her life, devastating her family and greatly disturbing her fellow citizens of Salisbury. Through Burning’s portrayal of Sturgess, the series evokes a great deal of sympathy and sadness, as we witness the harrowing death of this innocent citizen and mother.
All three episodes effectively portray the turmoil that shook in Salisbury in 2018. Through captivating performances, the audience are able to build relationships with each character and become gripped by the events that take place on screen. However, amidst the drama and turmoil of the series, we must consciously remind ourselves that this story is not fictionalised. At the end of the series, we are presented with the real individuals who are central throughout, alongside Dawn Sturgess’ family. This re-enforces that everything we have seen has been taken from true events, and allows us to understand just how the consequences of the Novichok attacks still linger today within the city of Salisbury.
Words by Orla Brady