Mr Bates vs The Post Office viewers have been left feeling “sick to their stomach” right after the first episode.
The ITV drama sheds light on the real-life events where village post office tills had mysterious financial losses. The four-part series narrates the events following the introduction of a new computer system, Horizon, and how it led to several postmasters being wrongfully blamed for theft, false accounting, and fraud from 1999 till 2015.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which aired on New Year’s Day, depicts the tale of Alan Bates who, with his partner Suzanne Sercombe in 1998, poured their life savings into purchasing a Post Office branch in Llandudno, North Wales. Alan, portrayed by Toby Jones, denied responsibility like other postmasters, culminating in the Post Office ending their contract within three months.
READ MORE: Want more showbiz? Daily Star has just the thing for you!
READ MORE: Want more TV? Daily Star has just the thing for you!
This meant Alan and Suzanne lost their investment of £65,000. Later, Alan spearheaded a campaign for Post Office whistleblowers and, in due course, he along with five others lodged a Group Litigation Order against the Post Office at the High Court, concerning 555 claimants. Judge Mr Justice Fraser enlisted computer errors as the culpable party.
As soon as the first episode aired, many viewers took to social media to express their outrage. One posted: “I’ve only watched 5 mins of #PostOfficeScandal drama and I’m shouting at TV. Not sure I can watch it!!!” Another wrote: “Less than 20 mins in and not sure I can watch this. Sick to my stomach #PostOfficeScandal.”
One viewer admitted: “Sat with a glass of red wine watching the #PostOfficeScandal. 15 mins in, and my blood is already boiling from anger.” A fourth voiced similar feelings, writing: “10 minutes in and I’m fuming already! A crime against good and honest people! #PostOfficeScandal.” Further sentiments echoed this, with remarks such as: “Only 10 mins in and I’m fuming already #PostOfficeScandal,” and a simple “Already seething #PostOfficeScandal.”
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Another user revealed: “Just started watching Mr Bates vs The Post office and already infuriated by how these innocent people were treated by the Post Office. #MrBates.”
Back in December 2019, following unjust prosecutions due to erroneous data from the Horizon system, the Post Office agreed to a £58million settlement. The presiding judge branded the Post Office’s denial of Horizon issues as “institutional obstinacy”. Yet, after legal costs had been covered, there was only £12m left about £20,000 each for the group.
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Join the Daily Star Soaps WhatsApp for all the latest spoilers and exclusives
Alan opened up about the unfairness, telling the Mirror: “There were a whole host of very, very sad stories. The Post Office made people think they were going crazy. They didn’t just inflict financial ruin, destroying livelihoods, it also destroyed families. But there was one positive. We were all together and we knew the truth. There was also a determination that we were going to expose the lies.”
He also said: “My understanding is that only a handful in the scheme has received their full and final financial redress. This has been a total cover-up; there has been no end to the lies. I just hope that the real guilty are actually pursued and prosecuted. I hope that is what Sir Wyn recommends.”
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up Daily Star’s editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to starletters@dailystar.co.uk
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
