Romola Garai, Matthew Macfadyen, Daisy Lewis, Rachael Stirling and Tara Fitzgerald are joining the cast of ITV period film Churchill's Secret, and will co-star with Sir Michael Gambon and Lindsay Duncan.
Set during the summer months of 1953, Churchill—now Prime Minister for the second time and in his late 70s—suffers a life-threatening stroke, which is kept secret from the world.
Told from the viewpoint of his young nurse, Millie, the drama follows his battle to recover as his long-suffering wife Clemmie, desperately hopes the stroke will force Winston to retire, while his political friends and foes scheme to find his successor.
Meanwhile his adult children descend on Chartwell, unsure if he will pull through, as tensions within his family begin to surface.
Romola plays nurse Millie Appleyard and Churchill’s adult children are played by Matthew as Randolph Churchill, Daisy as Mary Churchill, Rachael Stirling as Sarah Churchill and Tara Fitzgerald as Diana Churchill.
Further cast includes Bill Paterson as Lord Moran, James Wilby as Lord Bracken , Alex Jennings as Anthony Eden, Patrick Kennedy as Jock Colville, Christian McKay as Christopher Soames, Chris Larkin as Rab Butler and John Standing as Lord Camrose.
Filming begins later this month in London, Hayes and at Churchill’s principal family home, Chartwell, in Kent.
