{"id":21007,"date":"2022-08-28T10:00:53","date_gmt":"2022-08-28T08:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1698203"},"modified":"2022-08-28T10:31:11","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T08:31:11","slug":"is-itvs-ridley-based-on-a-true-story","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/is-itvs-ridley-based-on-a-true-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Is ITV\u2019s Ridley based on a true story?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Sam Moore\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 28 August 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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New ITV drama Ridley<\/a> is set to premiere tonight (Sunday 28th August) at 8pm.<\/p>\n

It stars Line of Duty<\/a> head honcho Adrian Dunbar as the titular Alex Ridley, a retired detective who now runs a jazz club. He\u2019s lured out of retirement by a former prot\u00e9g\u00e9 and the temptation to try to solve a kidnapping case that still lingers from over a decade ago.<\/p>\n

Also starring former Hollyoaks<\/a> actress Bronagh Waugh, Terence Maynard and Call the Midwife<\/a>\u2018s Georgie Glen, Ridley is a detective drama set in the north of England across Lancashire and Yorkshire that promises twists and thrills throughout its four episodes.<\/p>\n

But is the ITV detective drama based on a true story, or is it a work of complete fiction? Read on for everything you need to know.<\/p>

Is Ridley based on a true story?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While not based on a particular event or specific person, Ridley is inspired by the real-life stories of retired police officers who rejoined the force in their later years on a consultancy basis.<\/p>\n

Detectives coming out of retirement to consult with the police on investigations has become more commonplace due to funding cuts and resources being spread thinner.<\/p>\n

The cast also took advice from working police officers for the purposes of detail and accuracy.<\/p>\n

As Bronagh Waugh says: \u201cI always like to begin with books and online research, and to get testimony from retired detectives. I also find it really interesting to try and look from a female perspective of what it\u2019s like for female detectives who are high up in the ranks, to see what they\u2019ve had to come up against.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Bronagh Waugh as DI Carol Farman in Ridley<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Series creator Paul Matthew Thompson also discussed basing Ridley on the real-life phenomenon of unretiring coppers: \u201cWe had a very unique take on what it\u2019s like to be a retired copper going back to work. A lot of police officers now have been taken back on because police forces realise that they still have a lot to offer in a consultancy role.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also think that they would agree that policing has changed enormously since they were working there. So it\u2019s having to readjust going back to the workplace, but also readjusting to a workplace has probably changed quite a bit since they were there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n