BBC Two Drama Marks Paralympic Games

Best Of Men is a 90 minute drama for BBC 2 starring Eddie Marsan and Rob Brydon. It tells the story of Dr Ludwig Guttmann who helped to begin the modern Paralympic Games at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Dr. Guttmann arrived at the Hospital in 1944 and transformed its Spinal Injuries Unit.

Writer Lucy Gannon says: “The more I discovered about Dr Ludwig Guttmann, the more intrigued I became. His story is amazing and he really is an unsung hero, the man who revolutionised life for paralysed people."

Dr. Guttmann (played by Eddie Marsan) is an inspirational doctor who rejects the traditional view that paralysis was a terminal condition. There he helps to transform the lives of both the patients and staff at the Hospital. Dr. Guttmann want to see his patients live their lives to the full. This help to get rid of the traditional view of "caring for the patient". He viewed sport as away to help build physical strength and self-respect.

Sergeant Wynn Bowen (Rob Brydon) is admitted to Stoke Mandeville after he is paralysis. There he is put under Dr. Guttmann's care.

Ben Stephenson, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning, adds: “Lucy Gannon has written a moving human story that reveals the largely unknown history behind the birth of the Paralympic Games, which is particularly poignant as it will be broadcast on BBC Two in the same year the UK will host the London 2012 Games.”

Best of Men also stars:- George MacKay (Defiance, Birdsong) who plays William Gardiner; Niamh Cusack (In Love With Alma Cogan, Heartbeat) as Nurse Edwards; Nigel Lindsay (Four Lions, Shrek the Musical) as Mr Gardiner; Ben Owen-Jones (Dalziel & Pascoe) as Neil; David Proud (EastEnders) as Jeremy and Richard McCabe (Wallander, The Duchess) as Dr Cowan.