Sheridan Smith is set to take the lead in a gripping new ITV drama.
The talented actress will play Ann Ming, a mother who fought tirelessly to change the law following the murder of her daughter Julie Hogg by an ex-partner in 1989. After a 15-year battle, Ann successfully altered the ancient “double jeopardy” law, which previously prevented individuals from being tried twice for the same crime.
The forthcoming ITV drama will be adapted from Ann’s book, For The Love Of Julie. An insider said: “Ann campaigned tirelessly to change the 800-year-old double jeopardy law and saw Julie’s killer, Billy Dunlop, eventually jailed for life.
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“She will work with Sheridan and ITV on the four-part drama which will follow Ann’s fight for justice for Julie. It is an incredibly emotional story and Sheridan has promised Ann she will do her, and Julie, proud.”
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According to The Sun, filming is slated to begin “later this year”, reports the Mirror. Ann discovered her daughter Julie’s body hidden behind a bath panel at home after she had been missing for 80 days.
Dunlop was tried twice at Newcastle Crown Court in 1991 for her murder, but both times, the jury couldn’t reach a verdict. The judge in the second trial ordered Dunlop’s acquittal. However, he later admitted to the crime, boasting that he had committed the “perfect murder”.
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After a relentless campaign to change the outdated law, Ann finally saw justice served for her daughter in 2005, with Dunlop receiving a life sentence. Sheridan’s new role comes following the premature closure of her recent West End show, Opening Night.
The production was abruptly cancelled two months ahead of schedule due to poor ticket sales and harsh criticism. The musical, which depicted Sheridan’s character undergoing a distressing mental collapse, debuted in March and was initially set to run until July 27.
However, the show’s run was curtailed and will close on May 18 – two months earlier than planned. Wessex Grove, the show’s producers, issued a statement attributing the cancellation to “a challenging financial landscape”.
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
In an interview with The Guardian prior to the show’s opening, Sheridan expressed her belief that Opening Night represented an opportunity for her to make a fresh start and rectify past mistakes following her 2016 breakdown. “Getting the script for Opening Night was a sign… I knew I had to do the play as a way of taking control of what I went through.
“I felt so ashamed of that time. I need to prove I’m not that person. It’s been very cathartic.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
