Netflix viewers have hailed this latest ITV release as an “utterly absorbing” watch.
Helen McCrory stars in this “utterly absorbing” drama. (Image: ITV)
ITV viewers can’t get enough of this forgotten “brilliant” drama from a Peaky Blinders legend.
Peaky Blinders might be over but fans are still discovering some of its stars’ best work years before they even stepped foot into Tommy Shelby’s (played by Cillian Murphy) chaotic world.
One series that’s just started to grab fans’ attention is three-part ITV drama Leaving which originally made its debut 13 years ago.
Leading the cast is none other than actress Helen McCrory who portrayed Polly Gray, the dangerous matriarch of the Shelby family in Peaky Blinders’ first five seasons.
She isn’t the only recognisable face though in Leaving as McCrory is joined by Masters of the Air star Callum Turner who married singer Dua Lipa earlier this year.
Leaving revolves around 45-year-old wife Julie Ranmore (Helen McCrory) whose job as a hotel events manager keeps her from thinking too much about her loveless marriage. But things quickly change when she is introduced to unemployed 21-year-old Aaron (Callum Turner) who is still living with his parents.
They start working at the same hotel and what starts off as a flirtationship quickly escalates into a full-blown affair with the couple having to deal with the consequences.
Taking to IMdB to sing the show’s praises, someone simply described it as a “little gem”.
A fellow viewer said it was “utterly absorbing”, adding: “Brilliantly acted, often tense and heartbreaking, this is an outstanding drama…the late Helen McCrory gives an unforgettable performance.”
Another labelled it as “maddening all the right ways” and others hailing it as perfect for a “little binge on a rainy afternoon”.
McCrory sadly died of breast cancer in 2021 at the age of 52, keeping her illness private and only telling those closest to her.
She died ahead of the sixth series of Peaky Blinders being filmed which was postponed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Her husband and Homeland star Damian Lewis said at the time she had a “heroic battle with cancer”, stating that she was a “beautiful and mighty woman”.
He added: “She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and we know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives.”
Leaving is available to watch on Netflix.
