In Denial of Murder

In Denial of Murder is a two-part British television crime drama series, written by Neil McKay and directed by David Richards, that first broadcast on BBC One on 29 February 2004.[1] The series follows investigative journalist Don Hale (Stephen Tompkinson) as he attempts to prove that convicted murderer Stephen Downing (Jason Watkins) was wrongly convicted for the murder of Wendy Sewell (Caroline Catz) in 1973.[2]

In Denial of Murder
GenreCrime drama
Written byNeil McKay
Directed byDavid Richards
StarringStephen Tompkinson
Caroline Catz
Jason Watkins
Steve Jackson
David Troughton
June Watson
Lisa Millett
Judy Flynn
Wayne Foskett
Jennifer Hennessy
Composer(s)Hal Lindes
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original language(s)English
No. of series1
No. of episodes2 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)Mike Dormer
Mark Redhead
Producer(s)Mary McMurray
CinematographyLawrence Jones
Editor(s)Catherine Creed
Running time60 minutes
Production company(s)Hat Trick Productions
Release
Original networkBBC One
Picture format16:9 (576i)
Audio formatStereo
Original release29 February (2004-02-29) –
7 March 2004 (2004-03-07)

The series was based upon Hale's book Town Without Pity (which was later reprinted under the title In Denial of Murder in 2014).[3] Hale sold television rights to the book to Hat Trick productions in November 2000.[4] The series marked the second time that Tompkinson and Catz co-starred together, having previously appeared in All Quiet on the Preston Front and later going on to star together in DCI Banks. Notably, the series has yet to be released on DVD.

Criticism

Letterbox'd's review of the series commented that "Stephen Tompkinson's Hale bitterly and cruelly spits throughout the drama, things the real Hale claims he never said, lending a deeply misogynistic air to the proceedings. And therefore, it is an unsympathetic light she [Sewell] is presented in overall."[5]

Don Hale himself criticised the production, stating that "It is NOT a factual documentary and has been especially written for prime-time television. In my opinion, several crucial elements of the story have been omitted and I believe it fails to provide a wholly accurate version of events. The timeline has unfortunately been seriously amended without reason. These errors and others clearly present a false impression."[6]

Following the series broadcast, Stephen Downing commented to the Daily Express, “I don’t know about no pity but it’s a town divided. Some people still think I did it. It is just something I have to live with. In many ways life was easier inside – you did not have to look for a job, you got money, three meals a day and a roof over your head. Since I left prison things have been hard. I don’t really have much of a life. Yes, I’m free but I am still paying for a crime I did not commit.”[7]

Cast

Episodes
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
11"Part 1"David RichardsNeil McKay29 February 2004 (2004-02-29)5.42
More than twenty years after the murder of Wendy Sewell, local newspaper editor Don Hale takes up the case in an attempt to prove that Stephen Downing was wrongly jailed in 1973.[8]
22"Part 2"David RichardsNeil McKay7 March 2004 (2004-03-07)4.85
Don's campaign fanes a huge backlash from the public.[9]

References
  1. "In Denial of Murder (2004)".
  2. "BBC - Press Office - In Denial of Murder". www.bbc.co.uk.
  3. "In Denial of Murder". www.goodreads.com.
  4. http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/local-media-gong/
  5. "A ★★½ review of In Denial of Murder (2004)". letterboxd.com.
  6. "'In denial of murder' is TV drama - not newspaper fact - Journalism News from HoldtheFrontPage".
  7. Henderson, Eugene (8 September 2013). "After 40 years I'm prisoner to a murder I didn't commit".
  8. "In Denial of Murder - BBC One London - 29 February 2004 - BBC Genome". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk.
  9. "In Denial of Murder - BBC One London - 7 March 2004 - BBC Genome". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk.
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