Real-life drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office is breaking records at ITV while also shining a light back on one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history.
ITV’s four-part drama tells the true story of the Post Office Horizon scandal. The 1999 scandal saw 800 and 900 branch managers convicted after faulty Horizon accounting software, developed by Fujitsu, made it appear as though money was missing.
The series, which stars Toby Jones as former subpostmaster Alan Bates, was broadcast on New Year’s Day, and renewed interest in the injustice once more.
With public campaigns mounting once again, prime minister Rishi Sunak has now confirmed that a new law will be introduced so those wrongly convicted are “swiftly exonerated and compensated”.
On Tuesday (9 January), ITV shared that Mr Bates vs the Post Office had been watched by 9.2 million viewers. Not only does this make the drama the most viewed programme of 2024 so far across any channel, but it is also ITV’s best new drama in three years.
The latter record was previously held by true-crime dramaThe Pembrokeshire Murders starring Luke Evans and Keith Allen, which arrived on ITV in January 2021 amid lockdown.
Toby Jones as Alan Bates in ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’— (ITV)
Combining the drama with the corresponding documentary telling “the real story” of the scandal, Mr Bates has been watched by 14.8 million people in total.
ITV’s managing director of media and entertainment Kevin Lygo said: “The unwavering success of Mr Bates vs The Post Office demonstrates the undeniable power of TV, particularly public service broadcasting.
“Aside from it being a ratings hit, dramatising the story with such a high calibre of British actors has reignited the campaign for justice nearly 25 years on, for a group of ordinary people – and the entire nation is behind them.”
Head of drama Polly Hill echoed: “We commissioned this drama because it was a story that demanded to be told. Like everyone watching the show, I couldn’t believe what had happened. We all just wanted the drama to help get that story heard by as many people as we could.
“We are all proud and overwhelmed by the power our drama has had. Alan, Jo, Lee, Jess and every sub-postmaster and sub-postmistress are being heard now, and it looks like they will finally get the justice they deserve. ITV is proud to have told this story and to support the subpostmasters.”
Subpostmasters finally get justice in emotional final scenes of ITV drama ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’— (ITV/Mr Bates vs the Post Office)
In 1999, hundreds of subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting after the Post Office’s IT system incorrectly reported cash shortfalls in branches across the country.
The accusations ripped people’s lives apart. At least four people died by suicide after being wrongly accused of stealing thousands of pounds, and many lost their jobs and homes. Around 60 others died while waiting for compensation.
Mr Bates vs the Post Office is available to stream on ITVX now.
