David Tennant knew recreating dying image of Litvinenko for ITV series would ‘retrigger memories’ for the nation-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro

David Tennant has confessed he knew the first image of him in character as a dying Alexander Litvinenko would ‘retrigger memories’ for people.

When the image for the new ITV drama was released, many were shocked by the similarities, with the former Doctor Who star portraying the spy remarkably.

In 2006, the former KGB officer was poisoned with a radioactive substance, which slowly took hold of his body and killed him three weeks later, and the George Kay-penned drama follows the police investigation and Litvinenko’s claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered for his death.

Last month Tennant’s recreation of the famous photo of Litvinenko in his hospital bed was released, sparking conversation about the resemblance.

However, while creating the image, Tennant said that the cast and crew were acutely aware of what the response might be like after that image dominated headlines and front pages before Litvinenko’s death nearly two decades ago.

‘It’s always a balance when telling a true story between recreating every moment of it correctly and getting the story right and the emotional thrust of it right,’ he said while appearing on This Morning on Thursday.

‘I think we were all aware that image triggers the memory for everybody because it was so extraordinary and so vivid that we had to get it right and be as accurate because that kind of unlocked the history of it.’

David Tennant knew the responsibility of taking on this role (Picture: ITV)

Litvinenko in the Intensive Care Unit of London’s University College Hospital in 2006 (Photo by Natasja Weitsz/Getty Images)

The hospital scenes that unfold in the first episode were filmed over what Tennant called a ‘very intense’ week.

‘So many of us had spent time with [Litvinenko’s wife] Marina and were all committed to telling this story,’ he said.

Speaking about his memories of the case, the actor recalled first hearing about a former Russian spy being targeted after escaping to London.

‘I remember that moment in 2006 when this was all over the news and thinking what is this – it sounds so implausible,’ he told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.

Litvinenko, pictured in 2002, releasing his book Blowing Up Russia: Terror From Within (Picture: AP Photo/Alistair Fuller, File)

Despite the sensational nature of the case, Tennant said he also wanted to work on the series to acknowledge the very human story at its centre.

‘When I first got involved in this I wanted to be a part of telling a story that was about the way the world changed and geopolitics and this extraordinary impossible to conceive of event, but then I met Marina, his widow,’ he explained.

‘Her life was altered forever by this and who has dedicated her life and shouting about it and not letting Alexander’s death be in vain… then it becomes a story about family and a terrible tragedy that was visited on them so unfairly.’

But, he added, Litvinenko’s sense of justice lives on.

‘The reason this happened is because Putin wanted to shut him up but he failed because we are still talking about it,’ he said.

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The series also stars Margarita Levieva as Marina Litvinenko, Neil Maskell as DI Brent Hyatt and Mark Bonnar as DS Clive Timmons.

Litvinenko is streaming from December 15 on ITVX. This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.

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