He's possibly one of our hardest-working actors with roles in top-level British dramas like The Crown, Des, Line of Duty and The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, but Jason Watkins has his own heartbreaking story to tell in his brand new documentary, Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie.
Alongside wife Clara Francis the McDonald and Dodds star, 60, has made a new documentary about the loss of their daughter, Maude, when she was just two years old in 2011 after she went undiagnosed with sepsis while suffering from flu. The documentary sees the couple sit down and look at the circumstances leading to Maude's death, on New Year's Day, 2011, in detail for the first time since that tragic day.
The couple, whose show will go out on ITV1 on Thursday, March 30, at 9pm, believe their little girl's death was 'avoidable', with Clara telling Giovanna Fletcher on her Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast: "I've always felt with Maude, she was just unlucky (...). That makes it so much more painful to me because this is a death that could have been avoided."
Here's more on what the documentary is about and more on Jason and Clara.
What happened to Maude?
As featured in Jason and Clara's documentary, the actor found the two-year-old dead in bed on New Year's Day morning in 2011 - this was despite two hospital visits during which the flu symptoms she'd suffered had masked the sepsis and it went undiagnosed.
Sepsis, known as the 'silent killer', strikes when an infection such as blood poisoning sparks a violent immune response in which the body attacks its own organs. You can read more on sepsis and how to spot it, here.
The documentary, which has been produced by ITV Cymru Wales for ITV1, follows Jason and Clara as they prepare to move from the flat where Maude was born, lived and died. They felt the time was right to tell their story and explore their grief in a bid to help others.
"This is where Maude was born. I had her at home, and it is also where she died. Even after 11 years, it is still shocking," says Clara, as she helps her husband to pack up some of their belongings.
Allowing the cameras to follow their personal journey, the couple have therapy together for the first time and meet other parents who have lost their children, in a bid to break taboos around talking about child bereavement.
Jason, who has starred in W1A and The Crown, says: “I do feel apprehensive, I do think it’s a delicate thing and I think, ‘Are we doing the right thing?’ But it does feel something to be shared and it can help us and other people.”
Clara adds: “It’s about breaking down the taboo of child loss. It’s so grim and unspeakable, people don’t know what to say. People don’t know how to act around you, but, also, I want to talk about Maudie and people will know that she’s here.”
See the couple's, and others', brave stories at 9pm, tonight, ITV1.
Who is Jason Watkins?
Shropshire-born Jason is a Bafta-winning actor who won the accolade for real-life drama, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, which detailed the story of retired schoolteacher Christopher Jefferies who was initially questioned by police as a suspect in the murder of Jo Yeates, who rented a flat from him
He has been on TV almost constantly since appearing in 11 episodes of EastEnders in 1987-88, and has also starred in big screen hits like Tomorrow Never Dies, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and Nativity!
In recent years he's become recognisable for playing Herrick in Being Human, Gavin in Trollied and Simon Harwood in W1A. He was also Harold Wilson in series three of The Crown and is DS Dodds in ITV light-drama, McDonald and Dodds.
Jason is married to jewellery and fashion designer Clara and the pair tied the knot back in 2014. The couple welcomed daughters Bessie and Maude and a son Gilbert together. Jason was previously married to actress Caroline Harding and they share two older children - Freddie and Pip. Caroline is now married to Coronation Street actor, Chris Gascoyne, who plays Peter Barlow.
Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie will be broadcast on ITV1 and ITVX on Thursday, March 30, at 9pm. For more stories about TV programmes, sign up to our newsletter
If you need further support or information about bereavement and grief, mental health charity Mind can be contacted via 0300 123 3393.
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