LOSING IT

10 September, 2006 by The_Boss

ITV1 Wednesday 13th September 2006 9:00pm to 10:30pm

Martin Clunes and Holly Aird star in Losing It, a bittersweet drama for ITV about how life has to go on, even when someone is seriously ill.

This comic drama, written by Paul Mendelson, the creator of My Hero, So Haunt Me and May to December, takes a wry look at the impact on family and work when a man discovers he has testicular cancer.

Martin plays advertising executive Phil MacNaughtan who is told the news every man dreads.

Aware that he’s in an industry where he’s the wrong side of 40, Phil’s struggling to meet the exacting demands of his agency boss, while having debilitating treatment.

At home his wife Nancy, played by Holly Aird, is putting on a brave face for the sake of their two children. Stroppy teenager Erica (Flora Spencer- Longhurst) barely acknowledges her dad’s problems, while little Todd (Luke Booker-Morel) is shutting out the traumas around him.

James Lance (Sensitive Skin, Top Buzzer, Teachers) plays Leo, the insensitive advertising agency director who’s more concerned with clinching a lucrative new business, than Phil’s health.

The one–off drama is based on the real life experiences of writer Paul, who was successfully treated for testicular cancer when he was a creative director in an advertising agency in 1989.

Paul says: “Losing It is a comedy drama about how life doesn’t stop when a member of the family has a serious illness, either for him or the people around him. Work still has to be done, bosses placated, clients handled, bills paid, family cared for.

“It’s about how one person’s illness is the family’s illness, and the implications on everyone, and it shows how we don’t always behave the way we would wish to behave.”

Losing It, which was filmed on location in Bristol, was made for ITV1 by Clerkenwell Films. The producer is Murray Ferguson (Afterlife, Quite Ugly One Morning, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde), and the director is Ben Bolt (Doc Martin, Second Nature, Forgotten).

Murray Ferguson says: “Losing It is a sensitively written, entertaining drama that has a difficult, and often overlooked, subject at its heart. It’s brilliant that we have Martin Clunes playing Phil. His ability to encompass comedy and deep- felt emotion in one performance is crucial for this role.”


Synopsis

Phil McNaughton is the wrong side of 40 for his job in advertising. He’s surrounded by colleagues much younger than him.

With a new high flying creative director, Leo, who’s only 29, Phil feels under pressure to prove himself.

Leo wants Phil to devise a new advertising campaign for Delkron Tools. If they win the pitch Delkron Tools would be a lucrative new client for the agency. He pointedly remarks that Phil has not managed to attract any new clients for the past 18 months.

The pressure is on Phil. It’s going to mean working late in the evenings and weekends, and cancelling the trip to Paris he’s planned for wife Nancy’s birthday.

His colleague Mike suggests arranging a surprise birthday party for Nancy instead. Phil asks his teenage daughter Erica to help with the arrangements. But she warns that her mum would hate a surprise party.

Nancy is disappointed that once again Phil’s work has ruined their social plans. Every time they make an arrangement it has to be cancelled.

But Phil’s world is about to be turned upside down when he discovers a lump on his testicle. A self confessed hypochondriac, Phil is terrified, and immediately fears he has cancer. His GP refers him to a consultant and he is even more scared.

The specialist has more bad news for Phil. He needs to have an exploratory operation, which may lead to his testicle being removed.

The dreadful news couldn’t come at a worse time. Phil is on a deadline to complete the Delkron pitch for the sake of his career. But the operation could be crucial to save his life.

Phil tries to make light of his fears by joking about his condition leaving him lopsided if they chop off a testicle. Nancy isn’t fooled by Phil’s attempt at humour. She knows he’s scared, and tries to ease his fears.

Erica shows little concern, while eight year old Todd is curious to know the gory details of the operation.

Leo tries to be sympathetic when he hears Phil’s news, but he can’t disguise the fact that he’s more concerned about how it will affect the Delkron campaign.

Phil pledges to complete the campaign before he goes into hospital, and assures Leo they will win the pitch.

When Phil comes round from the operation Nancy confirms the result he’s been dreading. The lump was cancerous, and they’ve removed the testicle. Nancy tries to hide her panic and tears. At home she has to put on a brave face for the children to assure them their dad is going to be OK.
She tries to carry on working as normal, but she’s pre-occupied by the prognosis.

Anxious to keep up with the Delkron campaign, Phil continues to propose ideas from his hospital bed. Fellow patient Dave is fascinated by Phil’s work, and bombards him with a stream of irritating questions.

Out of hospital Phil is determined to get back to work as soon as possible to prove to Leo he can still pull off the pitch. He is just as anxious to get back to normal at home as well, and prove he can still be a good husband.

As the day of the pitch approaches, Leo has a brainstorm, and demands six dazzling campaigns for the presentation to Delkron. Phil is baffled by Leo’s strange strategy, but is forced to go along with it.

Phil’s stepfather Desmond comes to stay. It’s the last thing Phil needs. Desmond is uncomfortable, and doesn’t know what to say about Phil’s illness. He can’t bear the thought of him suffering.

Phil is too distracted to appreciate the effort Erica has made to arrange Nancy’s surprise birthday party. She’s hurt when her dad dismisses the invitation she has created with barely a glance.

Phil doesn’t realise the effect his illness is having on his whole family. He has a rude awakening when Erica finally explodes, and pours out their pent up frustrations and worries about him. She tells him in no uncertain terms that they are all suffering his cancer, not just him.

The day before the crucial pitch Leo springs another surprise. He’s commissioned some of the junior agency employees to prepare some fresh cutting edge ideas, which he wants Phil to include in the presentation.

After all the hard work Phil has put into the campaign, he is furious that he should be usurped by juniors. His bites the bullet and takes the new ideas on board for the meeting with Delkron.

But as he delivers the pitch to Delkron his heart is not in it and he delivers a lack lustre performance, to the fury of Leo. Phil walks out, leaving Leo to take up the presentation.

Erica’s outburst makes him realise that his family is much more important to him than the job. Leo phones to tell him Delkron liked the pitch- not the cutting edge proposals, but Phil’s ideas. But he was so disgusted with Phil’s behaviour that he’s sacking him. Desmond takes the call and tells Leo to stuff his job….