The PBS channel recently aired the British series Mr Bates vs The Post Office, based on a true story. Earlier this year, the project was released in its home country on the ITV channel, sparking a new wave of interest in the old but completely outrageous story.
A bug in Horizon's computer accounting system led to dozens of subpostmasters being accused of massive embezzlement. Taking on a huge civil service is difficult and frightening, but there is one small man with a big heart, Alan Bates, who is willing to take the risk.
To understand the essence of the story, it is first necessary to explain who subpostmasters are. They are the people who contract with the Post Office of Great Britain, get a franchise, and open a post office. In small towns, they are respected citizens who know all the locals – the real pillars of society.
What is...
A bug in Horizon's computer accounting system led to dozens of subpostmasters being accused of massive embezzlement. Taking on a huge civil service is difficult and frightening, but there is one small man with a big heart, Alan Bates, who is willing to take the risk.
To understand the essence of the story, it is first necessary to explain who subpostmasters are. They are the people who contract with the Post Office of Great Britain, get a franchise, and open a post office. In small towns, they are respected citizens who know all the locals – the real pillars of society.
What is...
- 5/7/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
Netflix UK will not be changing its commissioning course when the streamer stops reporting quarterly subs numbers, according to its programing chief.
Anne Mensah, who oversees a huge slate featuring the likes of Baby Reindeer and The Gentlemen, said “there is no secret” for producers when they pitch to Netflix, and that this will remain the same given the streamer’s fresh focus on profit over subs.
“I can’t stress enough that [our commissioning strategy] is simply about how you get audiences to press play and stay,” she told the Creative Cities Convention in response to a question over Netflix’s decision to stop reporting quarterly subs numbers from next year.
“Before I arrived the idea was how to put in place a team that is authentically ‘of the UK’ and show you have absolute commitment to staying here long term,” she added. “For me the content remains utterly key.”
Mensah was...
Anne Mensah, who oversees a huge slate featuring the likes of Baby Reindeer and The Gentlemen, said “there is no secret” for producers when they pitch to Netflix, and that this will remain the same given the streamer’s fresh focus on profit over subs.
“I can’t stress enough that [our commissioning strategy] is simply about how you get audiences to press play and stay,” she told the Creative Cities Convention in response to a question over Netflix’s decision to stop reporting quarterly subs numbers from next year.
“Before I arrived the idea was how to put in place a team that is authentically ‘of the UK’ and show you have absolute commitment to staying here long term,” she added. “For me the content remains utterly key.”
Mensah was...
- 4/23/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
PBS presents an intriguing episode of “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office on Masterpiece” airing Monday, April 22, 2024, at 8:00 Pm. In Season 1 Episode 3, titled “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office,” viewers are in for a captivating showdown as Alan joins forces with the Post Office in a bid to secure justice for his friends.
As the stakes rise and tensions escalate, Alan’s determination to right the wrongs faced by his friends drives him to forge an unlikely alliance with the Post Office. With the fate of those affected hanging in the balance, viewers can expect a gripping narrative filled with twists and turns as Alan navigates the complexities of the legal system.
Join PBS for an evening of suspense and intrigue as “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office on Masterpiece” unfolds. Whether you’re a fan of legal dramas or simply seeking compelling storytelling, this episode promises to deliver an unforgettable viewing experience.
As the stakes rise and tensions escalate, Alan’s determination to right the wrongs faced by his friends drives him to forge an unlikely alliance with the Post Office. With the fate of those affected hanging in the balance, viewers can expect a gripping narrative filled with twists and turns as Alan navigates the complexities of the legal system.
Join PBS for an evening of suspense and intrigue as “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office on Masterpiece” unfolds. Whether you’re a fan of legal dramas or simply seeking compelling storytelling, this episode promises to deliver an unforgettable viewing experience.
- 4/15/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Get ready for another gripping episode of “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office” airing this Monday at 8:00 Pm on PBS. In this installment, the tension escalates as Alan Bates and the Subpostmasters embark on a quest for truth and justice, rallying new allies in Parliament to support their cause.
As the battle against the Post Office intensifies, viewers can expect high-stakes drama and compelling storytelling as Bates and his allies navigate the complexities of the legal system and the corridors of power. With the stakes higher than ever, every move becomes crucial in their fight to uncover the truth and hold the Post Office accountable for its actions.
Filled with intrigue, suspense, and powerful performances, “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office” continues to captivate audiences with its riveting portrayal of real-life events. Tune in this Monday at 8:00 Pm on PBS to witness the next chapter in this gripping saga of justice and redemption.
As the battle against the Post Office intensifies, viewers can expect high-stakes drama and compelling storytelling as Bates and his allies navigate the complexities of the legal system and the corridors of power. With the stakes higher than ever, every move becomes crucial in their fight to uncover the truth and hold the Post Office accountable for its actions.
Filled with intrigue, suspense, and powerful performances, “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office” continues to captivate audiences with its riveting portrayal of real-life events. Tune in this Monday at 8:00 Pm on PBS to witness the next chapter in this gripping saga of justice and redemption.
- 4/8/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Prepare for an engaging and thought-provoking episode of “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office on Masterpiece” airing on PBS at 9:00 Pm on Sunday, April 14, 2024. In Season 1 Episode 2, viewers will witness Alan Bates and the Subpostmasters as they embark on a courageous journey to seek truth and justice, armed with newfound allies in Parliament.
As the battle intensifies, tensions rise, and the stakes are higher than ever before. With the Subpostmasters facing formidable challenges, they must rally together and confront the injustices that have plagued them for far too long. With the support of their allies, they set out to hold the Post Office accountable and demand accountability for their actions.
Join the fight for truth and justice in this riveting episode that sheds light on the power of perseverance and the importance of standing up for what is right. Don’t miss “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office on...
As the battle intensifies, tensions rise, and the stakes are higher than ever before. With the Subpostmasters facing formidable challenges, they must rally together and confront the injustices that have plagued them for far too long. With the support of their allies, they set out to hold the Post Office accountable and demand accountability for their actions.
Join the fight for truth and justice in this riveting episode that sheds light on the power of perseverance and the importance of standing up for what is right. Don’t miss “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office on...
- 4/7/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
An acute sense of instability will inform much of the content bought and sold on the MipTV floor, though the symptoms might manifest themselves beyond doom and gloom. Somewhat unsurprisingly, given an unrelenting remit of climate anxieties and global unrest, this tendency has left no genre untouched.
“Obviously the world in which we live is quite dramatic at the moment, and that has created an appetite for stories that offer solutions,” explains international distribution expert Beatrice Rossmanith. As head of global business for consulting firm Glance Ltd (formerly known as Tape Consultancy), Rossmanith monitors content across hundreds of channels in 45 territories worldwide. And lately she has noticed a pervasive trend.
“There’s obviously a thirst for truth nowadays,” Rossmanith says. “[And a thirst] to tackle modern anxieties by asking what more can we do?”
In the lifestyle space, celebrity profiles are increasingly linked to some sort of activism and political engagement – – while sports...
“Obviously the world in which we live is quite dramatic at the moment, and that has created an appetite for stories that offer solutions,” explains international distribution expert Beatrice Rossmanith. As head of global business for consulting firm Glance Ltd (formerly known as Tape Consultancy), Rossmanith monitors content across hundreds of channels in 45 territories worldwide. And lately she has noticed a pervasive trend.
“There’s obviously a thirst for truth nowadays,” Rossmanith says. “[And a thirst] to tackle modern anxieties by asking what more can we do?”
In the lifestyle space, celebrity profiles are increasingly linked to some sort of activism and political engagement – – while sports...
- 4/5/2024
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The production outfit behind Netflix’s Prince Andrew feature Scoop is working with Sarah Lancashire on an “ambitious, contemporary returning series” that Lancashire will star in.
Lighthouse Film & Television is teaming with Lancashire’s recently launched Via Pictures on the show, we can reveal, which Lighthouse co-founder Radford Neville teased is a “research heavy project inspired by real characters.”
Conversations with networks have already begun and Lancashire will star, contradicting reports that emerged earlier this week that she has retired from acting.
Lancashire launched Via Pictures with husband and former BBC and Banijay UK boss Peter Salmon last year upon the conclusion of Happy Valley, one of the corporation’s biggest dramas of the past decade.
“When we set up Lighthouse in 2019 we talked to Sarah about developing something specifically for her,” added Neville. “In the interim she has set up Via and towards the end of last year...
Lighthouse Film & Television is teaming with Lancashire’s recently launched Via Pictures on the show, we can reveal, which Lighthouse co-founder Radford Neville teased is a “research heavy project inspired by real characters.”
Conversations with networks have already begun and Lancashire will star, contradicting reports that emerged earlier this week that she has retired from acting.
Lancashire launched Via Pictures with husband and former BBC and Banijay UK boss Peter Salmon last year upon the conclusion of Happy Valley, one of the corporation’s biggest dramas of the past decade.
“When we set up Lighthouse in 2019 we talked to Sarah about developing something specifically for her,” added Neville. “In the interim she has set up Via and towards the end of last year...
- 3/27/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The BBC was victorious in a bidding war with Netflix for Dear England amid fears for the future of British storytelling on television.
Deadline hears that Left Bank Pictures and Dear England writer James Graham wanted the stage play to be adapted on the BBC, despite a more lucrative offer from Netflix.
The four-part series was announced by the BBC last month and will be based on Graham’s National Theatre play, which provides a fictionalized account of England’s soccer team.
Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) featured as waistcoat-wearing England manager Gareth Southgate in the stage show and will reprise his role for the BBC series.
Sony Pictures Television-backed Left Bank and Graham chose the BBC over Netflix because they view Dear England as a national story that should be told by the UK’s national broadcaster.
Financials for the deal were not disclosed and Left Bank will...
Deadline hears that Left Bank Pictures and Dear England writer James Graham wanted the stage play to be adapted on the BBC, despite a more lucrative offer from Netflix.
The four-part series was announced by the BBC last month and will be based on Graham’s National Theatre play, which provides a fictionalized account of England’s soccer team.
Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) featured as waistcoat-wearing England manager Gareth Southgate in the stage show and will reprise his role for the BBC series.
Sony Pictures Television-backed Left Bank and Graham chose the BBC over Netflix because they view Dear England as a national story that should be told by the UK’s national broadcaster.
Financials for the deal were not disclosed and Left Bank will...
- 3/27/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Andy Harries, the influential producer behind The Crown, has said the UK is at risk of becoming a Hollywood “service industry” unless local storytelling is protected.
The Left Bank Pictures founder issued a rallying cry for British creativity during an emotional address at Thursday’s Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, where he was honored with a lifetime achievement prize.
Addressing a room packed with UK television Illuminati, Harries asked: “Are we in danger of our business ending up as a first-class, top-end service industry to the U.S. at the expense of our own shows? Shows that reflect our own lives in the UK.”
More than 78% of the £4.2B ($5.3B) spent on UK film and TV production in 2023 was from inward investment, according to British Film Institute figures. Britain’s reliance on American projects was badly exposed during the 2023 strikes when high-end production virtually shut down.
Harries said he was anxious that British broadcasters,...
The Left Bank Pictures founder issued a rallying cry for British creativity during an emotional address at Thursday’s Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, where he was honored with a lifetime achievement prize.
Addressing a room packed with UK television Illuminati, Harries asked: “Are we in danger of our business ending up as a first-class, top-end service industry to the U.S. at the expense of our own shows? Shows that reflect our own lives in the UK.”
More than 78% of the £4.2B ($5.3B) spent on UK film and TV production in 2023 was from inward investment, according to British Film Institute figures. Britain’s reliance on American projects was badly exposed during the 2023 strikes when high-end production virtually shut down.
Harries said he was anxious that British broadcasters,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Happy Valley has won a trio of Broadcasting Press Guild Awards (Bpg) a day after being nominated for six BAFTAs.
The final season of Sally Wainwright’s BBC/AMC+ epic scooped the Best Drama, Best Writer and Best Actress awards. The Sarah Lancashire-starrer ended with a bang as Lancashire’s Catherine Cawood faced off with James Norton’s Tommy Lee Royce, and the show will not be returning.
Elsewhere at the BPGs, which turns 50 this year with a ceremony in London, ITV hit Mr Bates vs the Post Office was given a jury prize and The Crown exec Andy Harries won the coveted Harvey Lee Award for outstanding contribution to broadcasting, a few months after Netflix’s royal saga ended.
Gary Oldman scooped the Best Actor prize for his role in Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, a day after being snubbed by the BAFTAs. The BBC’s Time was Best Drama Mini Series,...
The final season of Sally Wainwright’s BBC/AMC+ epic scooped the Best Drama, Best Writer and Best Actress awards. The Sarah Lancashire-starrer ended with a bang as Lancashire’s Catherine Cawood faced off with James Norton’s Tommy Lee Royce, and the show will not be returning.
Elsewhere at the BPGs, which turns 50 this year with a ceremony in London, ITV hit Mr Bates vs the Post Office was given a jury prize and The Crown exec Andy Harries won the coveted Harvey Lee Award for outstanding contribution to broadcasting, a few months after Netflix’s royal saga ended.
Gary Oldman scooped the Best Actor prize for his role in Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, a day after being snubbed by the BAFTAs. The BBC’s Time was Best Drama Mini Series,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Paramount+ may have culled a raft of international originals last month but UK commissioning appears to be continuing apace.
The streamer has given the green light to The Crow Girl from Buccaneer Media, the producer that saw another of its shows, The Doll Factory, ditched by the platform last month.
Starring Eve Myles, Katherine Kelly and Dougray Scott, The Crow Girl is adapted from the Erik Axl Sund novel and begins with the gruesome discovery of a teenage boy’s body discarded in plain sight. Determined to find who is responsible, Dci Jeanette Kilburn joins forces with psychotherapist Sophia Craven to hunt the killer, despite opposition from her superiors including confidant Di Lou Stanley.
The Crow Girl is the first major TV writing gig for Milly Thomas,...
The streamer has given the green light to The Crow Girl from Buccaneer Media, the producer that saw another of its shows, The Doll Factory, ditched by the platform last month.
Starring Eve Myles, Katherine Kelly and Dougray Scott, The Crow Girl is adapted from the Erik Axl Sund novel and begins with the gruesome discovery of a teenage boy’s body discarded in plain sight. Determined to find who is responsible, Dci Jeanette Kilburn joins forces with psychotherapist Sophia Craven to hunt the killer, despite opposition from her superiors including confidant Di Lou Stanley.
The Crow Girl is the first major TV writing gig for Milly Thomas,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The story of a woman who was accused of murder after entering into a suicide pact with her terminally ill husband is being adapted for the screen in the UK.
Corestar Media has acquired the dramatic rights to Mavis Eccleston’s story, who took the agonizing decision to end her life alongside husband of six decades Dennis, who was in terrible pain from cancer.
The feature, Goodnight Darling, will follow how the 79-year-old Mavis was arrested and tried for murder, only to be unanimously found not guilty, and then began a campaign with her family to change the law to allow people to take the choice of assisted dying.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel author Deborah Moggach, whose mother served time in prison in an assisted dying case, has written a script. The story could be made as a film or a TV series, said a rep for UK drama indie Corestar.
Corestar Media has acquired the dramatic rights to Mavis Eccleston’s story, who took the agonizing decision to end her life alongside husband of six decades Dennis, who was in terrible pain from cancer.
The feature, Goodnight Darling, will follow how the 79-year-old Mavis was arrested and tried for murder, only to be unanimously found not guilty, and then began a campaign with her family to change the law to allow people to take the choice of assisted dying.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel author Deborah Moggach, whose mother served time in prison in an assisted dying case, has written a script. The story could be made as a film or a TV series, said a rep for UK drama indie Corestar.
- 3/11/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Julian Bellamy, managing director of ITV Studios, has joined the board of governors of the National Film and Television School in Buckinghamshire, England.
ITV Studios is the production arm of U.K. media conglomerate ITV and with over 60 production labels is the largest producer in the U.K. It has production bases across the globe, including the U.S. It is known for dramas including “Mr. Bates Vs The Post Office,” “Gomorrah” and “Vigil” as well as reality shows such as “Love Island” and “The Voice.”
Before joining ITV Studios, Bellamy held roles at Discovery Networks International, where he was creative director and head of commissioning, Channel 4 and the BBC. He entered the industry as a current affairs producer/director.
“We are thrilled to welcome Julian Bellamy to the Nfts Board of Governors,” said Sophie Turner Laing, chair of the National Film and Television School. “His extensive experience and...
ITV Studios is the production arm of U.K. media conglomerate ITV and with over 60 production labels is the largest producer in the U.K. It has production bases across the globe, including the U.S. It is known for dramas including “Mr. Bates Vs The Post Office,” “Gomorrah” and “Vigil” as well as reality shows such as “Love Island” and “The Voice.”
Before joining ITV Studios, Bellamy held roles at Discovery Networks International, where he was creative director and head of commissioning, Channel 4 and the BBC. He entered the industry as a current affairs producer/director.
“We are thrilled to welcome Julian Bellamy to the Nfts Board of Governors,” said Sophie Turner Laing, chair of the National Film and Television School. “His extensive experience and...
- 3/4/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Some of the biggest UK drama production houses have started developing lower-budget slates in response to a depleted market and the success of local stories such as Mr Bates vs the Post Office.
The bosses of Doctor Who co-producer Bad Wolf and Crown maker Left Bank both told Deadline they have started nurturing a development pot for shows that cost less to make than their previous fare. Multiple other drama execs have indicated they are adopting a similar strategy as this week’s London TV Screenings places budget woes front and center of the conversation.
Speaking to Deadline about her upcoming BBC series Dope Girls, Bad Wolf co-founder Jane Tranter said her team’s development slate now contains “projects on a different budget scale to those we have been used to doing,” a move that she is enjoying.
“We’ve been thinking about how we do [lower budget] in a way that feels exciting,...
The bosses of Doctor Who co-producer Bad Wolf and Crown maker Left Bank both told Deadline they have started nurturing a development pot for shows that cost less to make than their previous fare. Multiple other drama execs have indicated they are adopting a similar strategy as this week’s London TV Screenings places budget woes front and center of the conversation.
Speaking to Deadline about her upcoming BBC series Dope Girls, Bad Wolf co-founder Jane Tranter said her team’s development slate now contains “projects on a different budget scale to those we have been used to doing,” a move that she is enjoying.
“We’ve been thinking about how we do [lower budget] in a way that feels exciting,...
- 2/28/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
World on Fire has come to an end after two seasons, Masterpiece on PBS executive producer Susanne Simpson revealed at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Monday.
Simpson added that the BBC decided not to renews the British series for “many different reasons.”
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World on Fire was a World War II drama that...
Simpson added that the BBC decided not to renews the British series for “many different reasons.”
More from TVLineGillian Anderson Grills Rufus Sewell in Scoop Trailer - Get Release Date for Drama About Infamous Prince Andrew InterviewThe Thundermans Report for Super Duty in Revival Movie Trailer - WATCHThe Bear Season 3 to Premiere in June, Will Likely Be a Binge Release Again
World on Fire was a World War II drama that...
- 2/12/2024
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: Filming is due to get underway in late spring on Mr Burton, an upcoming biopic about the man who inspired screen legend, Richard Burton.
The film will tell the true story of the relationship between Welsh schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins. Richard dreamed of becoming an actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by a combination of family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr Burton recognised the raw talent in his pupil, and made it his mission to fight for him, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father.
BAFTA winner Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), fresh off his acclaimed performance in momentous UK TV series Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, will star in the title role, with Oscar nominee Lesley Manville playing ‘Ma Smith’, Philip...
The film will tell the true story of the relationship between Welsh schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins. Richard dreamed of becoming an actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by a combination of family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr Burton recognised the raw talent in his pupil, and made it his mission to fight for him, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father.
BAFTA winner Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), fresh off his acclaimed performance in momentous UK TV series Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, will star in the title role, with Oscar nominee Lesley Manville playing ‘Ma Smith’, Philip...
- 2/8/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
The Traitors has confirmed its status as one of British television’s hits of the year after Season 2’s final episode drew record ratings.
The Claudia Winkleman-fronted BBC reality series ended with an audience of 8M after seven days of streaming and catch-up viewing was accounted for, according to UK ratings body Barb.
This was a million more than its overnight audience of 6.9M and made it the most-watched show on British TV in the week to January 28.
The Traitors has not had a higher-rated episode over the course of its two seasons, with people flocking to the wink-murder-style game to watch Harry Clark be crowned winner.
Produced by All3Media-backed Studio Lambert, the show steadily built its audience throughout its 12-part run (see below), with BBC1 broadcasting batches of three episodes on a Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night during January.
Only Mr Bates vs The Post Office, ITV’s hit drama series,...
The Claudia Winkleman-fronted BBC reality series ended with an audience of 8M after seven days of streaming and catch-up viewing was accounted for, according to UK ratings body Barb.
This was a million more than its overnight audience of 6.9M and made it the most-watched show on British TV in the week to January 28.
The Traitors has not had a higher-rated episode over the course of its two seasons, with people flocking to the wink-murder-style game to watch Harry Clark be crowned winner.
Produced by All3Media-backed Studio Lambert, the show steadily built its audience throughout its 12-part run (see below), with BBC1 broadcasting batches of three episodes on a Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night during January.
Only Mr Bates vs The Post Office, ITV’s hit drama series,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
ITV’s post office drama that has led to an intense period of reckoning for multiple institutions and pushed the issue to the front pages of UK newspapers for weeks has found a U.S. home.
PBS Masterpiece has picked up Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which will air in April.
Starring BAFTA-winners Toby Jones and Monica Dolan, the four-part show launched at the start of 2024 and dramatizes what is now deemed one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in UK legal history.
When money started to seemingly disappear from its local branches, the government-owned Post Office wrongly blamed their own managers for its apparent loss. For more than a decade, hundreds were accused of theft and fraud, and many were even sent to prison – leaving lives, marriages, and reputations in ruins. But the issue was actually caused by errors in the Post Office’s own computer system – something it denied for years.
PBS Masterpiece has picked up Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which will air in April.
Starring BAFTA-winners Toby Jones and Monica Dolan, the four-part show launched at the start of 2024 and dramatizes what is now deemed one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in UK legal history.
When money started to seemingly disappear from its local branches, the government-owned Post Office wrongly blamed their own managers for its apparent loss. For more than a decade, hundreds were accused of theft and fraud, and many were even sent to prison – leaving lives, marriages, and reputations in ruins. But the issue was actually caused by errors in the Post Office’s own computer system – something it denied for years.
- 1/29/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
This Thursday at 8:30 Pm on ITV, viewers are in for a thought-provoking and impactful documentary, “Mr Bates vs the Post Office: The Drama That Shocked Britain.” This program sheds light on one of Britain’s most significant miscarriages of justice, where faulty software led to the wrongful conviction of hundreds of Post Office workers. Remarkably, 25 years after the initial convictions for theft and fraud, it has taken the ITV drama “Mr Bates vs the Post Office” to capture widespread public attention on this scandal.
Hosted by Paul Brand, the documentary delves into the aftermath of the TV drama, examining its influence and questioning why justice for these postal workers has been so delayed. The program promises a compelling exploration of a crucial issue that has long lingered in the shadows, now brought to the forefront by the power of television storytelling. Don’t miss this eye-opening documentary that airs at 8:30 Pm on ITV,...
Hosted by Paul Brand, the documentary delves into the aftermath of the TV drama, examining its influence and questioning why justice for these postal workers has been so delayed. The program promises a compelling exploration of a crucial issue that has long lingered in the shadows, now brought to the forefront by the power of television storytelling. Don’t miss this eye-opening documentary that airs at 8:30 Pm on ITV,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Posts UK
- TV Everyday
The ITV drama Mr Bates vs. the Post Office has become the British broadcaster’s biggest new drama in over a decade, beating even the launch of Downton Abbey back in 2010.
The four-part drama series was aired initially in the first week of 2024, and has now reported more than 16.6million streams on the Itvx streaming platform.
The drama tells the true story of how hundreds of the UK’s Post Office local branch managers were fobbed off by the Post Office national executive when they reported mistakes with their accounting, and were held accountable for the deficits in the figures that ensued. The truth was that faulty software was responsible for the many mistakes, but not before many innocent people had been sacked, made bankrupt and homeless, and convicted of false accounting. The ‘Mr Bates’ of the title was the lead campaigner who battled for 20 years to secure justice for the many victims.
The four-part drama series was aired initially in the first week of 2024, and has now reported more than 16.6million streams on the Itvx streaming platform.
The drama tells the true story of how hundreds of the UK’s Post Office local branch managers were fobbed off by the Post Office national executive when they reported mistakes with their accounting, and were held accountable for the deficits in the figures that ensued. The truth was that faulty software was responsible for the many mistakes, but not before many innocent people had been sacked, made bankrupt and homeless, and convicted of false accounting. The ‘Mr Bates’ of the title was the lead campaigner who battled for 20 years to secure justice for the many victims.
- 1/14/2024
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once has rocketed to the top of the UK streaming charts, unseating Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon on its way up.
The most-watched episode was sitting pretty with more than 6M viewers on the seven-day chart and the first three each topped the 5M mark, according to Barb data supplied by overnights.tv.
Dropping on New Year’s Day, Quay Street Productions’ Fool Me Once is the latest in a long line of Coben’s Netflix shows via his multi-year deal. It stars the likes of Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar and Richard Armitage, following a woman trying to come to terms with the brutal murder of her husband.
Coben’s previous shows such as Safe and Stay Close have performed well for the streamer, handing the limelight to actors who have traditionally worked for British broadcasters such as Coronation Street and Our Girl star Keegan.
The most-watched episode was sitting pretty with more than 6M viewers on the seven-day chart and the first three each topped the 5M mark, according to Barb data supplied by overnights.tv.
Dropping on New Year’s Day, Quay Street Productions’ Fool Me Once is the latest in a long line of Coben’s Netflix shows via his multi-year deal. It stars the likes of Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar and Richard Armitage, following a woman trying to come to terms with the brutal murder of her husband.
Coben’s previous shows such as Safe and Stay Close have performed well for the streamer, handing the limelight to actors who have traditionally worked for British broadcasters such as Coronation Street and Our Girl star Keegan.
- 1/8/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The Communication Workers Union (Cwu) of the UK has issued a statement, following the huge public reaction to the ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office, which aired last week.
The four-part drama depicted the injustice suffered by hundreds of innocent British postmasters, who were convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting by their Post Office employers when faulty software caused accounting mistakes to appear in local post offices around the country. With many imprisoned for offences they did not commit, the debacle has been called the greatest miscarriage of justice in British legal history.
Alan Bates of the title was the postmaster who campaigned for years to have the convictions overturned. He is played in the drama by actor Toby Jones.
In the days since the drama aired, thousands of British viewers have demanded that the Post Office’s former CEO Paula Vennells – the boss who oversaw the...
The four-part drama depicted the injustice suffered by hundreds of innocent British postmasters, who were convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting by their Post Office employers when faulty software caused accounting mistakes to appear in local post offices around the country. With many imprisoned for offences they did not commit, the debacle has been called the greatest miscarriage of justice in British legal history.
Alan Bates of the title was the postmaster who campaigned for years to have the convictions overturned. He is played in the drama by actor Toby Jones.
In the days since the drama aired, thousands of British viewers have demanded that the Post Office’s former CEO Paula Vennells – the boss who oversaw the...
- 1/6/2024
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Back with a bang, The Traitors returned for the BBC last night, watched by 3M viewers.
The opening ep, in which 22 contestants were introduced and three were chosen to be ‘traitors’, has been anticipated for months, following the runaway, watercooler success of the first.
Helmed ably once again by Claudia Winkleman, the show peaked with around 3.1M, according to Barb ratings data supplied by overnights.tv, as contestants including a clairvoyant, chess coach and a British Army engineer entered the fray in the now-beloved Scottish castle.
Episodes will air three a week at 9 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. GMT) with three dropped on iPlayer at a time, and a second season of Peacock’s U.S. version, hosted by Alan Cumming, will kick off shortly.
Produced by All3Media-backed Squid Game: The Challenge maker Studio Lambert, this series has stayed pretty true to the last given that one’s success,...
The opening ep, in which 22 contestants were introduced and three were chosen to be ‘traitors’, has been anticipated for months, following the runaway, watercooler success of the first.
Helmed ably once again by Claudia Winkleman, the show peaked with around 3.1M, according to Barb ratings data supplied by overnights.tv, as contestants including a clairvoyant, chess coach and a British Army engineer entered the fray in the now-beloved Scottish castle.
Episodes will air three a week at 9 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. GMT) with three dropped on iPlayer at a time, and a second season of Peacock’s U.S. version, hosted by Alan Cumming, will kick off shortly.
Produced by All3Media-backed Squid Game: The Challenge maker Studio Lambert, this series has stayed pretty true to the last given that one’s success,...
- 1/4/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
This Thursday on ITV, the gripping saga of “Mr Bates vs The Post Office” continues with Season 1 Episode 4 at 9:00 Pm. The episode unfolds a pivotal moment as Alan takes the helm, leading a charged meeting of subpostmasters determined to push the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (Jfsa) to advocate for their day in court.
In this critical juncture, the subpostmasters face the daunting challenge of colossal legal costs that loom over their pursuit of justice. The narrative explores the complexities of their fight, emphasizing the substantial financial risks they shoulder, even in the event of a victorious court battle. The episode promises to be a compelling exploration of resilience and determination as the subpostmasters rally against formidable odds, driven by the pursuit of truth and vindication.
Tune in at 9:00 Pm for an evening of intense legal drama on “Mr Bates vs The Post Office,” where the subpostmasters’ fight for...
In this critical juncture, the subpostmasters face the daunting challenge of colossal legal costs that loom over their pursuit of justice. The narrative explores the complexities of their fight, emphasizing the substantial financial risks they shoulder, even in the event of a victorious court battle. The episode promises to be a compelling exploration of resilience and determination as the subpostmasters rally against formidable odds, driven by the pursuit of truth and vindication.
Tune in at 9:00 Pm for an evening of intense legal drama on “Mr Bates vs The Post Office,” where the subpostmasters’ fight for...
- 12/29/2023
- by Posts UK
- TV Everyday
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