A new BBC production starring Maxine Peake and Lesley Sharpe, based on the true stories of victims of grooming and sexual abuse in Rochdale, is to begin filming in Manchester.

The drama will look at the way in which these girls were groomed, how they were ignored by the authorities directly responsible for protecting them, and how they eventually made themselves heard.

Maxine Peake and Lesley Sharp will play two women who were instrumental in getting the girls’ voices heard.The drama is based on the experiences of the girls who were groomed in Rochdale in the five years between 2008 and 2012, for which nine men were convicted and sentenced.

Other cast includes Paul Kaye, Lisa Riley and Jill Halfpenny as parents of the girls, alongside Ace Bhatti as Nazir Afzal, former Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West. They will be joined by Olivia Hill, Ria Zmitrowicz, Molly Windsor, Simon Nagra, Qas Hamid and Wasim Zakir.

Written by Nicole Taylor of the  C Word fame, Three Girls is produced by the same team as the acclaimed and award-winning BBC Drama, Five Daughters including director Philippa Lowthorpe , producer Simon Lewis and Executive Producer Susan Hogg.

Charlotte Moore, Controller BBC TV Channels and iPlayer, says: “BBC One has the ability to tell challenging and timely stories of national significance. The team behind the award-winning Five Daughters have spent three years talking to the girls, unravelling the shocking scale of abuse, the horror of what they’ve been through and the enormous courage it’s taken for them to speak out.”

Susan Hogg, Head of Drama, Studio Lambert says, “This true story, researched over a number of years, will shine a light on the trauma of sexual ‘grooming’, providing knowledge and understanding for parents and children alike. We are so grateful for the generosity of the young women and their families in sharing their experiences.”

Nicole Taylor, writer, says, “Whatever I thought I knew about what had happened in Rochdale, I knew nothing until I met the girls and their families. Listening to them was the beginning of understanding – not just of the terrible suffering they experienced, but of the courage it took to persist and persist over years, in telling authorities who didn’t want to know, and ultimately participate in the court proceedings that brought justice.”

Philippa Lowthorpe, director, says: “It’s both a privilege and a responsibility to be allowed to tell this powerful, true story. I have huge respect for the girls and their families for sharing their experiences with us. It’s through their courage in speaking out that we can try to understand the devastating effects of grooming. During the research, not only was it incredibly moving hearing the stories of the girls and their families, but also the experiences of those who fought to protect the girls and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Nazir Afzal, former Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West, says: “The Rochdale case was both groundbreaking and heartbreaking. It forced every agency to look at their ways of working afresh and the creation of the first guidance for prosecutors, police, and local authorities. The case caused seismic and long-overdue change in the way trials involving vulnerable victims were dealt with. At last, victims had a voice.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here