2024 is less than a week old, but I confidently predict I will not see a better TV drama series this year. It is a dramatic reconstruction of one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history.
It tells the story of the little people, village postmasters, against one of the biggest institutions in the UK, the Post office. Toby Jones plays Alan Bates as the stubborn Post master who refuses to give up the fight against his employer, the PO, as they accuse him of fraud, while he insists it's the new computer system, Horizon, that is at fault. He is the only one one that has this problem the PO says.
Dogged Mr Bates seeks out other Post masters and gradually more and more come forward with their stories which include finanacial ruin, prosecution, prison and four suicides. The cast are brilliant and believable and it is hard to hold back the tears in this very moving story which spans over 20 years and is still not fully concluded. Nobody has ever been prosecuted for this appalling corporate behaviour, but I understand a police investigation has now commenced. It should have started years ago.
The CEO of the PO at the time, Paula vennells played by Lia Williams, has recently received a CBE for services to the Post Office. You couldn't make it up. She should hand her award over to Alan Bates.
Well done ITV for this superb docudrama.
It tells the story of the little people, village postmasters, against one of the biggest institutions in the UK, the Post office. Toby Jones plays Alan Bates as the stubborn Post master who refuses to give up the fight against his employer, the PO, as they accuse him of fraud, while he insists it's the new computer system, Horizon, that is at fault. He is the only one one that has this problem the PO says.
Dogged Mr Bates seeks out other Post masters and gradually more and more come forward with their stories which include finanacial ruin, prosecution, prison and four suicides. The cast are brilliant and believable and it is hard to hold back the tears in this very moving story which spans over 20 years and is still not fully concluded. Nobody has ever been prosecuted for this appalling corporate behaviour, but I understand a police investigation has now commenced. It should have started years ago.
The CEO of the PO at the time, Paula vennells played by Lia Williams, has recently received a CBE for services to the Post Office. You couldn't make it up. She should hand her award over to Alan Bates.
Well done ITV for this superb docudrama.