IT’S heartbreaking viewing but also TV drama at its best.
New BBC One four-parter Best Interests does not end until Tuesday but producers are already looking at ideas for further series.
The first sees Michael Sheen and Sharon Horgan as parents battling to stop hospital doctors turning off their critically ill young daughter’s life support — only for one to later waiver while the other refuses to give up the fight.
Show bosses are now considering exploring new stories based on a similar scenario, where difficult medical cases end up in court.
New actors would likely be brought in but the show’s writer, Jack Thorne, remains.
From tongue scraping to saying no, here are 12 health trends to try in 2023
A TV insider said: “There are so many variations on the topic of court cases concerning what is in the best interests of an individual.
“In the current series, it’s a child, but it could be elderly people, or people with disabilities, or other adults suffering from conditions where a court has to decide what is the best course of action.
“It’s a difficult topic but the BBC feels it in safe hands with Jack.
“It’s early days though, and there are so many parts to put in place.”
But with the current run hurtling towards an emotional conclusion, there are likely to be calls for more before the end credits roll.
The BBC declined to comment.
SINGLE CELEBS UNVEILED
CELEBS Go Dating is in filming with six new stars desperate to take a chance of finding love on the box.
I can reveal that Kate Moss’ half-sister Lottie has signed up alongside Vanessa Feltz and Love Islanders Adam Collard and Chloe Burrows.
The line-up is completed by comedian Spuddz and Mark-Francis Vandelli – who found fame for being posh on Made In Chelsea.
How to de-clutter if you have a beauty stash to last you a lifetime
This year also welcomes a new sex and relationship expert in Dr Tara, who joins dating coaches Anna Williamson and Paul Brunson.
A source said: “This series is gearing up to be very special.
“Vanessa’s journey will also be really interesting.
“Not only is she the eldest of the six, she recently went through a very bad break up so will be working on loving herself – as much as finding love.”
STRIPPING YARN ‘NOT WANTED’
THE Full Monty became the highest-grossing film in UK history when it was released 26 years ago, but even that wasn’t enough to convince telly bosses it was worth investing in a reunion series.
Leading man Robert Carlyle has told how both the BBC and Channel 4 turned down the script before Disney+ snapped up the new show.
As the programme lands on the streaming channel, he said: “I know it was offered to them. They weren’t interested.
“When I was told it was going to Disney+, I was really surprised.
“This film had gone down in history as one of the biggest-grossing British independent films of all time.
“No one in Britain wants to stick some money into this?”
THEY’D N-EVA DO IT
DESPERATE Housewives fans were kept on the edge of their seats with shocking storylines across eight dramatic seasons.
From the deaths of spouses to friendship breakdowns, mental health issues and murder cover-ups, the series – which ran from 2004 to 2012 – was jam-packed with controversial scenes.
But while it made for great TV, Eva Longoria believes the plots would get the show cancelled if it was made today.
The actress, who starred as Wisteria Lane resident Gabrielle Solis in the comedy drama, told Entertainment Tonight: “I don’t know if we could do the show today.
“I think we’d get cancelled.
“Not cancelled on TV but cancelled in culture because it was so groundbreaking.
“We said and did so many things that were shocking at the time.”
KEV’S SCANDAL WIN
KEVIN CLIFTON thought Who Do You Think You Are? historians would struggle to find anything interesting in his family tree – because girlfriend Stacey Dooley’s boring past had already been rejected by the BBC.
The former Strictly star instead traces his heritage to Canada where he finds a scandalous divorce and a Native-American relative.
Kevin tells The Sun’s TV Mag, free in Saturday’s paper: “Stacey got approached to do the show, but there wasn’t enough of an interesting story to make a TV episode.
“She said to me, ‘You are the most English person I know, there’s not going to be anything exciting going on there!’”
Watch Kevin’s journey next Thursday at 9pm on BBC One.
