ITV Commissions factual drama Appropriate Adult
ITV has commissioned a factual drama entitled, Appropriate Adult, which focuses on the untold story of how Fred and Rosemary West were brought to justice.
The drama will focus on the period of time between Fred West’s arrest and his suicide on New Year’s Day 1995 and how he confided in Janet Leach who took the role of the “appropriate adult” during his police interviews.
“Appropriate adults” are appointed to sit in on police interviews with children or vulnerable adults to safeguard their interests.
Dominic West (The Wire, 300) will play Fred West and Emily Watson (The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Gosford Park) takes the role of Janet Leach.
The award-winning production team responsible for See No Evil: The Moors Murders, This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, The Murder of Stephen Lawrence and Wall of Silence, will produce the drama written by Neil McKay, executive produced by Jeff Pope and produced by Lisa Gilchrist.
Jeff Pope said: “Our intention is to produce a sober and thought provoking drama based on a true story. We have developed the script over the past three years and it provides a unique insight into the police investigation which led to the conviction of Fred and Rose West and the crucial role Janet Leach played as the ‘appropriate adult’.”
Produced by ITV Studios, Appropriate Adult goes into production in February 2011. Following meticulous research into every aspect of the Cromwell Street murders by Development Producer Kwadjo Dajan, and consultation with Gloucestershire Constabulary who have acted in an advisory capacity since 2007, the drama will be recorded in Manchester.
Appropriate Adult completes a trilogy of notorious murder cases (the previous two being See No Evil: The Moors Murders and This is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper) produced as factual drama by ITV Studios.
Rose West will be played by Monica Dolan (U B Dead, DCI Banks: Aftermath).
Two x 90 minute episodes of Appropriate Adult have been commissioned by ITV’s Director of Drama Commissioning Laura Mackie.
The drama will be directed by Julian Jarrold (Red Riding, Becoming Jane, Brideshead Revisited).
Note to Editors: The two-part television film See No Evil: The Moors Murders starring Maxine Peake and Joanne Froggatt achieved the coveted BAFTA Award for the Best Drama Serial of 2007. In the same year the highly acclaimed drama won best drama at the South Bank Show Awards and writer Neil McKay won the Original Drama category at the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards. In 2006 See No Evil: The Moors Murders also picked up an RTS Television Award.
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