The Shaun Identity

Why Freddie Highmore loves playing The Good Doctors autistic surgeon

- Judy Ewens, Adam Tanswell

NEW DRAMA

The Good Doctor

Tuesday, Sky witness HD, 9pm

When Dr Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) joined the prestigious San Jose St Bonaventure Hospital at the start of the first season of The Good Doctor, he had to prove that his autism wouldn’t stop him becoming a brilliant surgeon. His friend, mentor and president of the hospital Dr Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff) was confident enough to stake his job on it.

But at the end of the series, Shaun looked set to lose everything dear to him. He felt duty bound to tell chief of surgery Dr Marcus Andrews (Hill Harper) that he’d made a near-fatal mistake in surgery, while Glassman was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. As the second season begins on Sky Witness this week, Shaun is still working at the hospital, but has been sidelined to manning its mobile clinic.