Viewpoint (British TV series)

Viewpoint follows a tense police surveillance investigation into a tight-knit Manchester community and explores whether it is ever possible to observe the lives of others with true objectivity and zero effect. Surveillance detective DC Martin Young (Noel Clarke) sets up his observation post in the home of single mum and secret voyeur Zoe Sterling (Alexandra Roach). Zoe’s windows command a panoramic view of Westbury Square, and more importantly provide a direct sightline into the home of missing primary-school teacher Gemma Hillman (Amy Wren) and her boyfriend - and prime suspect in her disappearance - Greg Sullivan (Fehinti Balogun).{{Cite web|date=2021-04-15|title=ITV Sets Premiere Date For 'Viewpoint'|url=http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2021/04/itv-sets-premiere-date-for-viewpoint/|access-date=2021-04-30|website=TVWise|language=en-US}}

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• Noel Clarke as DC Martin Young, a surveillance detective
• Alexandra Roach as Zoe Sterling, a single mother
• Amy Wren as Gemma Hillman, a missing primary school teacher
• Fehinti Balogun as Greg Sullivan, Gemma's boyfriend
• Bronagh Waugh as DC Stella Beckett
• Marcus Garvey as DC Roly Dalton
• Phil Davis as DI Liam Cox
• Sarah Niles as DCI Jill Conroy
• Shannon Murray as Hayley Jones
• Ian Puleston-Davies as Donald Vernon
• Catherine Tyldesley as Kate Tuckman
• Dominic Allburn as Carl Tuckman
• Lucy Chambers as Chloe Tuckman
• Carlyss Peer as Sarah Young
• Erin Shanagher as Fiona Baker
• Sia Kiwa as Melissa
• Kíla Lord Cassidy as Caitlin Sterling

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{{Episode table |background=#000000 |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |airdateR={{Cite web|last=Carr|first=Flora|date=14 April 2021|title=Viewpoint release date: ITV thriller cast, trailer, and latest news|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/viewpoint-release-date/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415124708/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/viewpoint-release-date/|archive-date=15 April 2021|access-date=15 April 2021|website=Radio Times}} |country=UK |viewers= |viewersR={{cite web |title=Weekly top programmes on four screens (from Sept 2018) |url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/four-screen-dashboard/ |website=BARB |access-date=10 May 2021}} |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = Episode 1

|DirectedBy = Ashley Way

|WrittenBy = Ed Whitmore

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|4|26|df=y}}

|Viewers = 6.23

|ShortSummary = When primary school teacher Gemma goes missing in Manchester, surveillance officers Martin and Stella are tasked with observing the prime suspect, Gemma's boyfriend Greg Sullivan.

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = Episode 2

|DirectedBy = Ashley Way

|WrittenBy = Ed Whitmore

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|4|27|df=y}}

|Viewers = 4.97

|ShortSummary = Martin witnesses Greg coming to pieces in front of his eyes. But is this a guilty man trying to hide his secrets or a grieving partner on a mission to find Gemma?

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = Episode 3

|DirectedBy = Ashley Way

|WrittenBy = Ed Whitmore

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|4|28|df=y}}

|Viewers = 4.94

|ShortSummary = Martin goes on a mission to dig deeper into Carl Tuckman's murky past. Could this relate to Gemma's disappearance in the present?

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = Episode 4

|DirectedBy = Ashley Way

|WrittenBy = Tom Farrelly

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|4|29|df=y}}

|Viewers = 4.63

|ShortSummary = A birthday lunch held in Gemma's honour leads to secrets being exposed and a break for Martin comes from an unexpected source, as his illicit bond with Zoe deepens.

|LineColor = 000000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|Title = Episode 5

|DirectedBy = Ashley Way

|WrittenBy = Ed Whitmore

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|4|30|df=y}} (ITV Hub)

|Viewers = N/A

|ShortSummary = Martin prepares Carl to confront Kate in the hopes of a confession, but the surveillance operation takes an unexpected turn leading to devastating consequences.

|LineColor = 000000

}}

}}

ITV commissioned Viewpoint in January 2020.{{Cite web|date=27 January 2020|title=ITV commissions surveillance thriller, Viewpoint|url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-commissions-surveillance-thriller-viewpoint|url-status=live|access-date=12 April 2021|publisher=ITV Press Centre|archive-date=28 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128155009/https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-commissions-surveillance-thriller-viewpoint}} The show was set to begin filming in the spring of 2020, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Principal photography eventually began in August 2020 and was ITV's first drama series to begin shooting after the lockdowns which halted production.{{Cite web|date=25 August 2020|title=Noel Clarke leads cast in new drama Viewpoint|url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/noel-clarke-leads-cast-new-drama-viewpoint|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303195616/https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/noel-clarke-leads-cast-new-drama-viewpoint|archive-date=3 March 2021|access-date=12 April 2021|publisher=ITV Press Centre}}{{Cite web|last=Ramachandran|first=Naman|date=25 August 2020|title=Global Bulletin: ITV's 'Viewpoint,' Starring Noel Clarke, Starts Shoot|url=https://variety.com/2020/biz/global/channel-4-david-olusoga-itv-noel-clarke-1234747644/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303023606/https://variety.com/2020/biz/global/channel-4-david-olusoga-itv-noel-clarke-1234747644/|archive-date=3 March 2021|access-date=12 April 2021|website=Variety}} Filming took place at Space Studios in the city of Manchester and in other locations around the city,{{Cite web|last=Gamester-Newton|first=Becky|date=16 March 2021|title=Viewpoint on ITV: Everything you need to know|url=https://www.bt.com/tv/drama/viewpoint-itv-cast-plot-release-date-trailer|url-status=live|access-date=12 April 2021|publisher=BT TV|archive-date=12 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412175455/https://www.bt.com/tv/drama/viewpoint-itv-cast-plot-release-date-trailer}} and finished in November 2020.{{Cite tweet|number=1330564491499753472|user=alexandraroach1|title=That's a wrap on #Viewpoint / We shot a brand new series in a global pandemic which feels like a massive achievement / I can't wait for you to see this show...Coming soon to @ITV!|author=Alexandra Roach|author-link=Alexandra Roach|date=22 November 2020|access-date=12 April 2021}}

Viewpoint aired on ITV at 9pm across the final week of April 2021. The first episode was watched by 4.5 million overnight viewers, 26.3% of the total TV audience that evening.{{Cite web|last=TVZone|date=2021-04-27|title=OVERNIGHT RATINGS: MONDAY 26 APRIL 2021|url=https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/ovtratings-26april|access-date=2021-04-30|website=TVZoneUK|language=en}} The first four episodes achieved an average of 3.8m viewers in overnight ratings; the fifth episode accrued at least 2.1m viewers via the ITV Hub.{{cite web |last1=Wilkes |first1=Neil |title=Noel Clarke allegations: Final episode of Viewpoint draws 2.1 million on ITV Hub |url=https://www.mediamole.co.uk/entertainment/tv-ratings/news/noel-clarke-allegations-final-episode-of-viewpoint-draws-2-1-million-on-itv-hub_445638.html?t=123987456&s=zero |website=MediaMole |access-date=23 May 2021}}

Prior to the fourth episode's broadcast on 29 April, The Guardian reported that Clarke was the subject of allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation by 20 women,{{cite web |last1=Kale |first1=Sirin| last2=Osborne |first2=Lucy |date=29 April 2021 |title='Sexual predator': actor Noel Clarke accused of groping, harassment and bullying by 20 women |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/apr/29/actor-noel-clarke-accused-of-groping-harassment-and-bullying-by-20-women |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430174818/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/apr/29/actor-noel-clarke-accused-of-groping-harassment-and-bullying-by-20-women |archive-date=30 April 2021 |access-date=30 April 2021 |website=The Guardian}} which he denied.{{cite web|date=30 April 2021|title=Bafta suspends Noel Clarke over harassment claims |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56937479|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430183703/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56937479|archive-date=30 April 2021 |access-date=30 April 2021 |website=BBC News}} Although the episode aired as planned, the finale of Viewpoint was pulled from its intended broadcast on 30 April, and was replaced by a new episode of It'll Be Alright on the Night.{{Cite web|title=It'll Be Alright on the Night – 30/04/2021|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/npp9mb/itll-be-alright-on-the-night--30042021/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502091607/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/npp9mb/itll-be-alright-on-the-night--30042021/|archive-date=2 May 2021|access-date=2 May 2021|website=Radio Times}} The final episode was instead released onto ITV's on-demand platform, ITV Hub (and STV Player), alongside previous episodes,{{cite web|date=30 April 2021|title=ITV Statement on Viewpoint |url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-statement-viewpoint |access-date=30 April 2021 |publisher=ITV Press Centre}} for 48 hours.{{Cite web|title=Viewpoint / Series 1 – Episode 5 |url=https://www.itv.com/hub/viewpoint/10a0556a0005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502091108/https://www.itv.com/hub/viewpoint/10a0556a0005|archive-date=2 May 2021 |access-date=2 May 2021 |publisher=ITV }} The episodes were streamed without advertisements.

International distribution of Viewpoint was also suspended.{{Cite web|last=Dosani|first=Rishma|date=2021-04-30|title=Viewpoint bosses suspend distribution amid Noel Clarke allegations|url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/04/30/viewpoint-bosses-suspend-distribution-amid-noel-clarke-allegations-14501597/|access-date=2021-05-02|website=Metro|language=en}}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=tt11684368|title=Viewpoint}}

Category:2020s British crime drama television series

Category:2020s British police procedural television series

Category:2021 British television series debuts

Category:2021 British television series endings

Category:British thriller television series

Category:British English-language television shows

Category:ITV crime dramas

Category:Television series about missing people

Category:Television series by Tiger Aspect Productions

Category:Television shows set in Manchester