A Short Stay in Switzerland (2009)

Julie Walters (pictured) stars in a one-off drama, inspired by the true story of Dr Anne Turner.

Having just witnessed the death of her husband, Jack, from an incurable neurological disease, Anne Turner is diagnosed with a near-identical illness. With determined rationality, Anne's answer is that once her illness has reached a critical point, she will take her own life... but she needs her children's support.

The more Anne's son and two daughters struggle to gain consensus over their mother's desire to die, as they struggle to find another way through, the further they pull apart. From Jessica's silent recriminations to Sophie's stubborn practicality, the magnitude of the situation threatens to tear the family to pieces. Anne must also face the fury of her best friend, Claire (Harriet Walter), whose opposing views bring them into direct and vocal conflict.

Award-winning writer Frank McGuinness penned the drama. "As a doctor, Anne Turner lived and worked by her principles, and she chose to die by them," he says. "This film recognises that rare courage."