Broken. Drama starring Anna Friel as a single mum in poverty. BBC1

[HelenaDove]

Starting on the 23rd May. Written by Jimmy McGovern (Cracker Hillsborough. The Street) it also stars Sean Bean as a Catholic priest.

Trailer.

This is utterly heart wrenching. Wanna punch the lady in the job centres face for being such a heartless cow.

I'm guessing not saying she dead so gets her pension atill

I don't know if I can face another 5 episodes of this.

Me neither!

Switching off.

Why is she not getting the dole? She is fit and could work

Why has her sister not dobbed her in!?

She resigned by punching her boss in the face and stealing from the till, 2rebecca.

She won't be entitled to benefits for 13 weeks because of the circumstances in which she lost her job.

I thought was great and v realistic for someone living on edge. They don't give you benefits these days like they used too. Though on a low wage she would have got tax credits and child benefits on top.

I thought it was bloody brilliant.

Looks like more Father Sean casting light on the grimness next week.

I have an episode of murder in Paradise to watch on iplayer. That is looking far more exciting than this. Does the BBC want to depress our entertainment time. We have jobs and a crap election coming up. Cracker was good because it wasn't unremitting misery. I hate Angela's Ashes type crap

I like the mystery around his childhood and maybe that will develop. Jimmy McGovern's never really done Subtle, you kind of know what you're getting.

Just seen the trailer for next week - I take it there are more stories to come rather than just this one?

It's an interwoven community sort of thing, I think.

Just found that Death inParadise was a repeat as well. Can't we have some cheery summer's nearly here programmes? Does the BBC producer need some Prozac and a nice racing bike?

I am surprised that people didn't like it.

I didn't think he came across that well as a priest. Can't quite work out why, but just not quite right. Hope he doesn't have an affair with her. Don't think I'll be watching again.

He doesn't have an affair with her. Jimmy McGovern has said in interviews that Sean Bean's character is a good man. He's based on the priests Jimmy McGovern knows in Liverpool who do good works.

I thought he was v good as a priest, he's seen it all before. A proper priest in a normal community. The fact he could tell she was dead and know straight away about pensions speaks volumes. Loved way he talked about saving money at first communions because loads of people do struggle with putting on a show.

Was just chatting to a bishop friend who wasn't overly impressed but did say he'd been in situations similar several times where he knew the family were lying about how long the person had been dead. So maybe not that far fetched.

I also know priests who have tried to persuade parishes to tone down the first communion celebrations and met with a similar response! Though I quite agree with him.

Suggesting they wore school uniforms just sounded kinky though

Kinky?? Surely when money is tight having to pay for expensive white dress,tights, shoes (that you will never wear again) gloves, veil for girls is A lot of money for some fsmilies. Boys less so as probable have school shoes trousers and just need a new tie. sad that it's story with priest so people immediate think kinky/child abuse if suggests anything with children.