Bridgerton star Claudia Jessie has joined the cast of Netflix's upcoming series, Toxic Town, which focuses on one of Britain's biggest environmental scandals, The Corby Poisonings.
The four-parter tells the story of three mothers' fight for justice following toxic waste spillages in the town of Corby, Northamptonshire.
Claudia, who is perhaps best known for playing Eloise Bridgerton in the popular Netflix period drama, is a new addition to the star-studded cast, alongside Game of Thrones star Joe Dempsie and The Gallows Pole actor Michael Socha.
The series, which is penned by multi-award-winning writer Jack Thorne, also stars Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who), Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting), Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education), Rory Kinnear (The Diplomat) and Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey).
Black Mirror creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones' production company, Broke And Bones, is behind the series, with Minkie Spiro (Better Call Saul) taking on the role of director.
© LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIXThe synopsis reads: "Toxic Town is a story about community, focusing on three mothers who take on a David and Goliath fight for justice. By tracing through the years of their fight, a terrible truth comes to the surface - one of stinging injustice."
Jack Thorne said of the drama: "The Corby Toxic Waste Case is one of those moments in history that is defining. It showed our ability to close our eyes and ears to the safety of our people. It also showed the remarkable way that people will fight for what's right.
© Netflix"Toxic Town tells the story of these funny, brave, incredible women and the way they scrapped for their children. It has been a true privilege working with Annabel, Minkie, Delyth and the whole Broke & Bones family on this incredible story, and we are so grateful to Netflix for giving us the opportunity and support in telling it."
What is Toxic Town about?
The upcoming series focuses on The Corby Poisonings, which saw the Northamptonshire town exposed to a high volume of toxic waste in the 1980s and 1990s, leading to one of the biggest child poisoning cases in the UK.
So, what exactly happened?
© Photo: BBCFollowing the closure of one of Europe's largest steelworks in the early 80s, Corby Borough Council undertook the demolition and excavation of the site. This involved the transportation of waste through populated areas to a quarry north of the site. The waste was carried in open lorries, which spilled sludge onto the roads and released large amounts of dust into the air.
MORE: Best TV shows coming to Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon and Disney+ in September
READ: 23 best crime shows to watch on Netflix
In the years that followed, the rates of upper-limb defects in babies born in Corby were found to be almost three times higher than in the surrounding areas.
© NetflixThis led to a landmark court case in 2009 in which 18 young people alleged that the waste dumped between 1984 and 1999 was the cause of their deformities.
In his ruling, the judge found Corby Borough Council liable for negligence, public nuisance and a breach of statutory duty. The case, which was dubbed "the British Erin Brockovich" led to a historic decision that was the first in the world to establish a link between atmospheric toxic waste and birth defects.
