Over the last couple of weeks there hasn’t been a lot on television to choose from but two have really stood out to me: In The Name Of The Father and Mr Bates vs The Post Office - what a story.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office is a true tale, scrupulously researched and acted with sincerity, and contains a warning about computers and remote access. Twenty years ago the Post Office blamed 3,500 sub-postmasters for financial losses caused by an error with its Horizon computer system.
- The Post Office scandal is possibly the largest miscarriage of justice in UK history – and it’s not over yetOpens in new window
- Post Office boss to return bonus pay linked to Horizon inquiry after pressureOpens in new window
- Two dead Post Office workers’ convictions sent for possible crown court appealsOpens in new window
The Post Office didn’t believe the pleas of innocence - 700 were found guilty, 236 were sent to prison and four took their own lives; all were innocent, yet lives spiralled into chaos.
Being honest men and women they made up the shortfalls caused by the computer system with their own money, selling their homes in some cases.
But Alan Bates wasn’t having it: “They say money’s somehow gone missing from this branch, which it hasn’t, and I have to pay it back, which I won’t.”
He decided to fight for his name and his honesty and eventually represented hundreds of others. Two decades years after losing his own post office in Wales he is still fighting for compensation for hundreds of other victims, and the public inquiry he called for in 2009 is only recently underway.
A shocking story
They took on the mighty Post Office, owned by the government and apparently above reproach. Bates burrowed away until he unearthed the facts and presented them to the hierarchy who dodged every accusation - it was convenient for them that for the last 300 years the Post Office has run its own criminal investigations, while Fujitsu, the Japanese company suppling the software, covered up despite knowing the faults in their system.
Being honest men and women they made up the shortfalls caused by the computer system with their own money, selling their homes in some cases. But Alan Bates wasn’t having it: “They say money’s somehow gone missing from this branch, which it hasn’t, and I have to pay it back, which I won’t.”
It’s a shocking story with Bates at the heart of it. The real Alan Bates gave his full approval of actor Toby Jones’s portrayal, working alongside the writers and researchers, as did many of the others affected.
Post offices are under pressure. Perhaps it’s time the public gets involved in saving this invaluable public service - especially now as, in my experience, banks don’t even oblige you with Euro, the post office does.
Some elderly customers don’t have bank accounts or computers and cash and the friendly face behind the glass offers a sense of security.
- Anna Scher taught the EastEnders and Coronation Street cast - and she showed me how to stand my groundOpens in new window
- Save money this winter by air frying, wearing socks and a hat in bed and using salt in your freezerOpens in new window
- I'm following the government's orders and have my batteries, torches, candles, gas stove and stack of warm jumpers ready for the winter apocalypseOpens in new window
Enlightening Film
I watched In The Name Of The Father on the 30th anniversary of Jim Sheridan’s film charting the story of the late Gerry Conlon, who was falsely accused of terrorism and imprisoned for 15 years.
Daniel Day-Lewis is famous for getting into character and the Conlon role is no exception; he mixed with prisoners, spent days locked up in jail and submitted himself to Special Branch interrogation.
It certainly paid off - his is a remarkable performance. It’s brutal, painful and at times tender when the young man shares a cell with his father Guiseppe (Pete Postlethwaite).
Based on Conlon’s memoirs, it moves from his life as a rascal in Belfast to a ‘Jack the lad’ in London, and then to being set up by one of the inmates of a squat where he hung out. When the bombs started going off, he was wrongly implicated in the carnage of two bars in Guildford - years later he proved his innocence, along with his three friends making up the Guildford Four.
I get annoyed when people ask an actor what they do for a real job - without doubt Sheridan’s film is a real job.
Unintended Comedy Cover-up
It wasn’t all serious in-depth television over Christmas and new year - there was one pantomime that had me laughing out loud: EastEnders on Christmas night.
The scriptwriters came up with the idea of Keanu being stabbed and Nish rendered unconscious thanks to a bottle being smashed over his head. Sharon’s face was a horror picture as she acted shocked.
Next day the ladies of the Queen Vic had the poor murdered boy wrapped up and secured with gaffer tape, running up and down in the snow not knowing what to do with him. As Suki said: “We haven’t got rid of the problem, we’ve only moved it.”
Sharon, over-acting, replied: “We can do this, we will do this, we must do this.”
Scripting at its finest. Executive producer Chris Crenshaw promised a Christmas episode to remember, surely he must have had his tongue in his cheek... it’s still well worth seeing on catch-up.
Then there was the New Year’s Day Concert from Vienna - superb. Happy new year, dear readers.
