Douglas is Cancelled highlights the sheer power of social media
ITV News' Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda sat down with the cast of Douglas is Cancelled to talk all things "cancellation".
Rather narcissistically, as someone who works in TV news, I love watching shows about TV newsrooms.
Whether they’re wildly unrealistic or worryingly close to the bone, they’re always entertaining.
Douglas is Cancelled is no different, as cackle-worthy comedic moments and gasp-inducing dramatic scenes make for four very binge-worthy episodes.
Actor Hugh Bonneville plays Douglas Bellows, an esteemed news anchor. However, a sexist comment at a private wedding is leaked online and he starts trending for all the wrong reasons.
Bonneville, of Downton Abbey and Paddington fame, appreciates the need for accountability but believes cancelling is becoming commonplace.
He told me: "The idea of the scapegoat or being thrown out of the city walls goes right back to Roman times, if not before. History has a habit of repeating itself.
"Particularly these days with social media, the rise of the self-appointed jury which is the people. Who is the enemy of the people this week?
"Let’s find them, stone them to death, stamp on them, make sure they’re dead and then kill them again and then move onto someone else."
Douglas’ co-anchor on the fictitous Live at 6 is Karen Gillan, the Scottish actor is best known for her time on Doctor Who - and more recently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Her character, Madeline Crow, has a complex storyline, with a darker past. We find out she may have been the victim of extremely inappropriate behaviour by a senior colleague.
Gillan hopes that as well as enjoying the show, people take note of its message, telling me: "The themes we are exploring in this are not specific to the TV industry or the news industry.
It’s across so many professions, sadly."
"At its core this is about abuse of power - and also, if you see that happening and you don’t say or do anything, does that make you complicit? I think those are the questions that people will start asking after they watch it."
Off-camera indiscretions have seen a number of big broadcasters hitting the headlines in recent years.
Douglas is Cancelled was originally written as a play by Steven Moffat, who previously ran things on both Doctor Who and Sherlock.
The play never came to be, but what was produced was an ITV series, which feels familiar, given what has happened in the real world.
Moffat acknowledges contemporary examples similar to the Douglas’ storyline, but points out that this was "written five years ago."
"We could have done this at any point and it would have felt familiar," he said.
"This thing goes on all the time, there has never been a point when you wouldn’t have a recent scandal. It used to take a while to get yourself in real trouble, now you can do it instantly."
Douglas Is Cancelled starts on June 27 at 9pm on ITV1 with all episodes available to view on ITVX.
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