Source: Liverpool_Echo
Christopher Eccleston says Jimmy McGovern’s Hillsborough is most important work he's ever done
Hillsborough by Jimmy McGovern[LNB]A FEW months before it was first broadcast, 14 years ago, Christopher Eccleston told the ECHO of Jimmy McGovern's Hillsborough: 'This will show what television is really for.'[LNB]Today, as he looks forward to attending a special screening of the drama-documentary at Fact in Liverpool, followed by a question and answer session, he stands by that quote - and another one: 'Hillsborough is the most important piece of work I've ever done and ever will do.'[LNB]The families of those who died and the survivors may still be waiting for justice, but this 102 minutes of television had a major impact on the country.[LNB]Recalling its power, Christopher - who played Trevor Hicks, the then chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support, whose two daughters, Sarah, 19, and Victoria, 15, died in the 1989 disaster - says: 'Beyond Merseyside, no one knew the truth about what happened at Hillsborough. People had swallowed the lies that the right-wing Press told, together with what the government and the police put out there.[LNB]'Jimmy wrote it to correct those lies and, most importantly, to allow the families to grieve - because the lies devastated and destroyed the grieving process.'[LNB]Before he could take the part, Christopher had to speak to the man he was portraying: 'I did feel a great deal of responsibility and the first thing I did was visit Trevor Hicks to get his blessing.'[LNB]Christopher, who was Trevor's best man when he remarried, in March 2009, adds: 'He has said to me since that he was initially sceptical about the whole enterprise. He gave me quite a rigorous interview - he wanted to know what my motives were for doing it. Then he gave me his blessing, I accepted the role and he gave me total access to his life and his experiences.[LNB]'All the actors met the Hillsborough Family Support Group, which was completely involved - they visited the set and gave us information and opened their hearts to us.'
