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Girls Aloud's Sarah makes debut in BBC banking film
Amar Singh22.04.09
THE BBC tackles the murky world of banking and sub-prime mortgages in a new film with a cast including Dominic Cooper, Aidan Gillen, Rosamund Pike and Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding.
Freefall by Bafta award-winning director Dominic Savage depicts the "implosion" of the financial world through the eyes of bankers, brokers and borrowers.
The drama, which is to air on BBC2 in June, is set in London and will feature improvised scenes detailing how more than a decade of spending ended, plunging Britain into recession.
Savage, who won a Bafta for the 2002 BBC drama Out Of Control, said: "This is a film essentially about greed that in many ways had got out of control.
"It is a film that reflects our obsession with wanting more, wanting everything, the desire in many of us to gain the world, but in doing so, potentially lose our souls.
"Freefall reflects those complexities, needs and conflicts that I believe exist in us all."
The main characters include Gus, a ruthless City banker - played by Gillen, who stars in the later seasons of The Wire as Mayor Carcetti.
His colleagues include Riz Ahmed, from acclaimed Indie film Shifty, and Anna, played by Pride And Prejudice star Pike.
Cooper, who starred in the hit Mamma Mia! plays slippery salesman Dave who hard-sells sub-prime mortgages to people including Jim - played by Joseph Mawle who depicted Jesus Christ in The Passion last year. Dave also has a troublesome relationship with his beautician girlfriend Sam, an acting debut for 27-year-old Girls Aloud singer Harding.
Freefall is one of the highlights of a new season of programmes on BBC2 announced today.
They include off-beat comedy Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire which stars Sean Maguire and Matt Lucas.
The League Of Gentlemen's Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton return to BBC2 with another darkly comic show, Psychoville.
In A World Of Pain: Meera Syal On Self Harm, sees the author, actress and comedian look at the issue in the UK and in On Thin Ice, James Cracknell and Ben Fogle undertake feats of endurance with a 470-mile race to the South Pole.
The Culture Show will be expanded to 50 minutes and Griff Rhys Jones launches the Poetry Season, which will include stars discussing favourites.
