Ita O'Brien: It's a Sin Part 1

This week, Sarah and Jess are thrilled to welcome the incredible Ita O'Brien, founder of the Intimacy On Set company and author of the groundbreaking Intimacy On Set Guidelines. In the first of this special two-part conversation, we dive into It's A Sin and explore how some of the series' most intimate and emotionally powerful scenes were carefully choreographed. Ita shares the thinking behind intimacy coordination, why consent and communication are at the heart of every scene, and how this groundbreaking approach helped bring one of television's most celebrated dramas to life.

Content note: This episode contains discussions of sex, intimacy and intimacy coordination in the context of television production.

Ita O’Brien - Dedication for the HIV podcast - 28th July 2026 "I'd like to thank the wonderful Mike Dawson for connecting me with this podcast and for his inspiring support of the HIV and LGBTQ+ communities. I'd also like to dedicate this conversation to the memory of my dear singing teacher, Chris Edwards, who nurtured me as a musical theatre performer in the 1980's. Chris was the first person I knew who contracted HIV and sadly died just 18 months later. His kindness and encouragement have stayed with me ever since."

https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/donation-form/the-hiv-podcast-together-were-changing-the-conversation

Audio credits

It's A Sin – © Channel 4 Television Corporation.

"It's a Sin" – written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, performed by Pet Shop Boys. Excerpt accessed via YouTube.

Boris Johnson COVID-19 address – excerpt from The Guardian YouTube channel.

"Tombstone" HIV/AIDS public information campaign advertisement – excerpt from YouTube (original UK Government public information campaign).

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