January 1st 2024.
New ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office has left viewers devastated. The four-part series, which stars Toby Jones and Julie Hesmondhalgh, tells the true story of a major scandal where more than 700 Post Office branch managers were given criminal convictions due to faulty accounting software.
Dozens of innocent people were wrongfully sent to jail, while others were driven to bankruptcy and suicide. Amidst all of this, a group led by Alan Bates took the Post Office to the High Court.
As the first episode aired, viewers flocked to X to share their reactions. Amanda Coleman wrote: “Already my blood is boiling. The importance of listening and questioning.” Junior ones said they were just on the first episode and “already my blood is boiling… to think some people actually killed themselves and today some people haven’t been compensated is outrageous.”
User trainfanmatt also agreed their “blood is boiling,” slamming the “utterly abhorrent and disgusting” way the subpostmasters were treated. Gemma Champ was on episode one and was “already so so angry and stressed,” while user Tincansqat said their “blood pressure has gone through the roof.”
The High Court ruled that the missing money was due to computer errors and the Post Office was ordered to pay £58million in compensation. However, after legal costs were paid, the group were left with only £12million, which totaled to around £20,000 each, far less than some had lost.
Sam Cook watched the series in full and said he felt “immense frustration,” warning “there are several scenes in this that will break your heart… much like me you’ll probably feel shocked and angry that this injustice actually happened.”
The real-life Alan Bates insists his fight against the Post Office is not over, even though a government initiated an independent inquiry in 2020 and converted it to a public one the following year.
Mr Bates vs the Post Office is airing across four nights from January 1 at 9pm on ITV1. Also airing on January 4 is Mr Bates vs the Post Office: The Real Story at 10.45pm on ITV1. If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures, you can get in touch with the The Agency entertainment team by emailing us, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page.
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