Mr Bates vs The Post Office: The Impact documentary to continue story
The biggest TV story of the year is getting another chapter.
The biggest TV story of the year is set to get another chapter – with ITV announcing that it will be continuing the story of its hugely impactful factual drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office with a new documentary.
The one-off programme has been given the working title Mr Bates vs The Post Office: The Impact and will reveal the extraordinary effect the four-part series has had on the lives of the subpostmasters it featured, as well as providing an insight into the ongoing struggle for justice and financial redress.
It will include input from Alan Bates himself and other key figures including Jo Hamilton, Jess Uppal and Noel Thomas, while subpostmasters who have come forward in the aftermath of the drama series will also be featured.
A statement from ITV reads: "Telling their stories on television for the first time, some say that without the public’s overwhelmingly positive reaction to the drama, they would not have had the courage to talk openly about their involvement in the scandal and how it affected them."
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The series will also shine a light on some of the shocking moments from the Judge-led Inquiry into the scandal, including testimony from Paula Vennells, Angela van den Bogerd and Post Office investigators.
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Meanwhile, viewers can expect an insight into new developments and layers of intrigue that "add further dimensions to a scandal that is still ongoing even following the broadcast of the drama and the subsequent torrent of news coverage".
Speaking about the commission, ITV's controller of factual programming Jo Clinton-Davis said: "The Post Office scandal became a genuine national talking point at the start of this year, striking at the heart of the public’s sense of justice.
"The reverberations have been felt ever since at a political level, but particularly in the lives of those directly affected. This film promises to tell the story of what has happened since in their lives, how their fight continues as well as illuminating new layers of this scandal.”
Read more:
- Mr Bates vs The Post Office team on winning Radio Times TV 100 and continuing to fight for justice
- Poirot's David Suchet to retrace Agatha Christie's steps for documentary
Meanwhile, executive producer Natasha Bondy added: "The public’s response to Mr Bates was extraordinary and had a hugely positive impact on subpostmasters. We’re delighted we can explore how far-reaching that impact has been, while still showing that the fight for financial redress is far from over."
Earlier this year, the ensemble cast of the show – including Toby Jones, Monica Dolan and Julie Hesmondhalgh – topped the Radio Times' TV 100 list, which celebrates those who changed the entertainment landscape for the better.
In the aftermath of the show airing in January, the UK government has been under pressure to move the case along, while the series also drove more than 1 million people to sign a petition demanding that former Post Office boss Paula Vennells hand back her CBE – which she did in January amid the mounting calls.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office is available to watch on ITVX. Mr Bates vs The Post Office: The Impact will air on ITV later in 2024.
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