The factual drama explores the long-gestating treatment of subpostmasters by the Post Office, who wrongly accused hundreds of fraud and theft due to accounting errors caused by a faulty IT system.<\/p>\n
The broadcast of the series has catapulted the frequently overlooked issue to the very centre of national conversation, dominating newspaper front pages and parliamentary discussion alike.<\/p>\n
Screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes said of the impact to Deadline<\/a>: \u201cI\u2019m always saying to people that the best true stories are the ones that are the most unbelievable. Everything about this has been unbelievable, including this week.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a mad, runaway, juggernaut thing that has happened.\u201d<\/p>\n The stellar result is hoped to speed up the course of justice for the affected subpostmasters \u2013 some of whom have died in the two decades since this scandal began \u2013 but its success seemingly wasn\u2019t expected in such a competitive television landscape.<\/p>\n Rather, Hughes said the team thought it would be an \u201cuphill battle\u201d to entice viewers to the dramatisation, particularly with the second season of BBC One\u2019s action-thriller The Tourist<\/a> premiering opposite.<\/p> \u201cThe length, breadth and complexity of the story can be off-putting,\u201d she continued. \u201cBefore transmission, our boss was trying to comfort us saying it probably wouldn\u2019t do that well and asking us not to get upset when we get flattened by The Tourist.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s just built and built and built. The politics of the moment is frustrating everyone and, to our surprise, I think that is what we have tapped into.\u201d<\/p>\n Producer Patrick Spence added: \u201cOur stated intent in making this show was simply that the subpostmasters felt heard, that it might help in some way with the healing process.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd yet, look at what can be achieved when an audience connects with a drama and decides action needs to be taken. The whole country is angry now.\u201d<\/p>\n The interview accompanies recent comments by ITV\u2019s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, who told Deadline<\/a> that it was increasingly difficult to get shows like Mr Bates vs The Post Office commissioned, due to their relative lack of international appeal.<\/p>\n This, therefore, lessens the potential for cost-saving co-production deals with US networks and streaming services as well as lucrative syndication deals around the world.<\/p>\n But the impact of Mr Bates vs The Post Office provides a powerful counterpoint.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s now become harder to fund these British stories,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe must be able to keep making them, because Mr Bates vs The Post Office shows that drama can help make a difference, and importantly that the audience wants to hear them.<\/p>\n \u201cNone of us could possibly have imagined that it would become the national conversation, but how wonderful that it has. The subpostmasters and mistresses deserve to be heard and we hope this ITV drama helps bring about real change.\u201d<\/p> ![\"John](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/01\/mrbatesvsthepostofficeep425-746e83c.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"mr_bates_vs_the_post_office_ep4_25\\"\/")
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