Dose - Description

Written by Irvine and Dean, directed by Phil John and starring Jon Owen, this is the tale of infectious diseases in South Wales. Welsh and writing partner Dean Cavanagh penned the 30-minute drama Dose as part of this year's social action week for BBC Wales, which also included a poster campaign, TV trails and several short films. Starring his friend, actor Lewis Owen - who persuaded Welsh to take the commission - Dose tells the story of laminate floor salesman Anthony Williams. Despite loving his wife Rhiannon and being committed to Christ, Anthony has a string of adventurous sexual encounters, laying more than just the flooring for his female customers. But despite being ultra-careful and always wearing a condom - the theme of the social action campaign - he catches gonorrhoea from an unexpected source. "It's based on something which must, I feel, be fairly archetypal," says Welsh. "You simply don't know who the person you've just been shagging has shagged previously, or if you do, who has been shagging those person(s). "We're conditioned into thinking that there are these immoral, scabby bags of disease wilfully going around infecting the sweet, innocent populace. "There is only being sensible and careful or being daft and reckless. People are, thank goodness, never going to stop. No good reason to do so. It should be beautiful or at least good fun; it shouldn't end in hospital wards."