Two Weeks in August stars Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) and Damien Molony (Bergerac) and lands on BBC on Saturday 23 May

The creator of the BBC‘s gripping new mystery drama, Two Weeks in August, has revealed the unsettling real-life moment that inspired the series – and it sounds like something straight out of a thriller.

Starring Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) and Damien Molony (Bergerac), Two Weeks in August is set in Greece and follows Zoe, a woman who goes on holiday with her family and friends in a bid to rediscover joy in her life.

TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST cast© Robert Viglasky / BBC
TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST cast

But when she witnesses an illicit kiss, the trip soon spirals into a nightmare, prompting Zoe to act on her deepest desires. As a result, the holiday she hoped for becomes a reckoning for a group of adults who refuse to grow up.

Speaking about the origins of the show, executive producer, creator and writer Catherine Shepherd sat down with HELLO! to reveal the inspiration behind the story, as well as why working with a psychologist became crucial in shaping the new BBC drama.

WATCH: Two Weeks in August Trailer

What inspired Two Weeks in August?

Although the series was filmed in Malta and Gozo for financial reasons, the story is set in Greece. Speaking to HELLO!, Catherine revealed that the idea stemmed from a family holiday to Greece years ago while staying in Corfu with relatives.

“I always used to go on holiday with my family to Greece, even in my 20s, and there was this one evening after a day on the beach where we were all sitting on the terrace of our villa. We were in Corfu and you could see Albania across the water.”

Catherine Shepherd is the creator of Two Weeks In August© WireImage
Catherine Shepherd is the creator of Two Weeks In August

What began as a normal family dinner soon took a disturbing turn when they noticed strange red flashes in the distance. “Suddenly, we realised we could see red lines, and it was tracer fire. It was people shooting at each other,” she said.

Despite the alarming discovery, the family carried on with their evening as normal. “It was pretty far away, so we weren’t in any danger, but we were like, ‘I think… is there a war? What’s going on? Would you like a gin and tonic?’

The moment stayed with Catherine for years and ultimately became the emotional foundation for the drama.

clapper board in front of two people on the beach© DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI
Two Weeks in August was filmed in Malta

“I always thought that was sort of the darkest comedy,” she said. “It’s illustrative of what it’s like to be a person right now, which is trying to have a good time when bad things are going on.”

The expert advice that changed Two Weeks in August

In preparation for the show, Catherine worked with a psychologist to help shape the characters and their emotional responses – something she had never done before, but now highly recommends.

woman standing on hill© Robert Viglasky/BBC
Jessica Raine plays Zoe

“I think every writer should do it,” she said, adding that many of those conversations made their way directly into the scripts.

When creating the role of Dan, who struggles with depression, Catherine explained: “The psychologist told me that men in that state crash their cars, that’s what they do. I promise you, women do other things, but that’s what men do, and that went into the script.”

man and woman standing by pool© Colin Hutton / BBC
Hugh Skinner & Leila Farzad also star

Speaking about what she hopes viewers take away from the series, Catherine added: “The show’s really about trying to tell the truth about yourself and what you want. It’s really fun to watch people not [people-please], but obviously that’s definitely where we should all be heading.”

Two Weeks in August lands on BBC One and iPlayer at 8.10pm on Saturday 23 May.