• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Why murders aren't shown in Yorkshire Ripper series

Home> Entertainment> TV

Published 11:45 23 Sep 2023 GMT+1

Why murders aren't shown in Yorkshire Ripper series

The Long Shadow follows the flawed investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper murders

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Featured Image Credit: ITV

Topics: True Crime, UK News, ITV, TV and Film

Dominic Smithers
Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is LADbible's Editorial Lead. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

X

@SmithersDom

Advert

Advert

Advert

For years, Peter Sutcliffe wreaked havoc across the north of England, leaving death and destruction in his wake.

Between 1975 and 1980, the lorry driver murdered 13 women and attempted to kill over half a dozen more. The Long Shadow tells the story of that terrifying period:

During that time, the vicious killer, who eluded police and terrified millions, became known as the Yorkshire Ripper.

A new seven-part series, which premieres this week, focuses on the victims of Sutcliffe's heinous crimes, and the detectives who tried to track him down.

Advert

Speaking to LADbible about The Long Shadow, director Lewis Arnold (Time, Des) explained that with it being a true story, he and his crew were always conscious of the impact reliving those crimes decades on could have on the family and friends of Sutcliffe's victims.

The Long Shadow follows the investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper murders.
ITV

While true crime documentaries and dramas are seemingly on every channel these days, each more violent and graphic than the next, the same cannot be said for The Long Shadow.

And Arnold says that's how it had to be.

"The only people who know what happened on those nights and those events are, unfortunately, the victims and the the person responsible," he tells us.

Advert

"And it would just be wrong to go there and would do a disservice to the people who live through it.

"So it's about trying to find a way to tell these stories that feels authentic and truthful but also respectful.

Director Lewis Arnold says he wanted to be respectful to the victims and their families.
ITV

"I think a lot of these dramas I tried to... as you go through the process, me and the team try to imagine that at some point you're going to have to sit down possibly with the people you're reflecting, and are you comfortable to sit down and watch the show with the people you're reflecting on screen?

"And if at any point a scene or something makes you feel uncomfortable in that moment, then you know you have to address what it is that's making you feel uncomfortable."

Advert

The Long Shadow boasts and all star cast, with Toby Jones playing DCS Dennis Hoban, who initially led the enquiry, with David Morrissey taking the role of DCS George Oldfield, who eventually took over the investigation.

The cast also includes Alexa Davies, Chloe Harris, Stephen Tompkinson, Jack Deam, Michael McElhatton, Adam Long, Ruth Madeley, Dorothy Atkinson, Rob James-Collier, Charley Webb, Steven Waddington and Kris Hitchen.

Katherine Kelly plays Emily Jackson in the series.
ITV

The script was written by George Kay, who previously worked on Killing Eve.

Arnold tells us that he never planned on working on another true crime series after Des, which saw David Tennent play serial killer, Dennis Nilsen, but was blown away by the screenplay.

Advert

"My instinct wasn't to do it," he explains. "Having done Des, Time, and Sherwood, I didn't really feel like I wanted to do another show that dealt with the darkest side of the human condition, and also, the social economical politics felt similar to things I've done recently.

"And then I read the scripts, and I think I was so bowled over by the humanity, and the way George had framed the show around the victims."

The Long Shadow will premiere on ITV at 9pm on Monday (25 September).

  • Harrowing reason Erik Menendez put lemon on his food as shown in Netflix Monsters series
  • Truth behind whether Lyle Menendez lost his hair as shown in Netflix Monsters series
  • Educating Yorkshire teacher won't appear in reboot after being banned from teaching
  • 28 Years Later fans make horrifying realisation about ‘Jimmy Savile’ gang shown in new trailer

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
6 hours ago
19 hours ago
  • Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty Images
    an hour ago

    Singer d4vd has 'song leaked' with same name as girl found in his car with chilling lyrics

    The remains of teenager Celeste Rivas were tragically found in a Tesla last week

    Entertainment
  • Bryan Steffy/WireImage
    2 hours ago

    Priscilla Presley had heartbreaking thought moments before turning off daughter’s life-support

    Lisa-Marie passed away in January 2023 after suffering a cardiac arrest

    Entertainment
  • Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images
    6 hours ago

    What Jimmy Kimmel said about Charlie Kirk that led to being pulled off air 'indefinitely'

    The late-night talk show host has called the broadcaster ABC home since 2003, but Jimmy Kimmel Live! has now been suspended

    Entertainment
  • Paramount+
    19 hours ago

    Ozzy Osbourne's heartbreaking last words on video revealed in documentary filmed just before his death

    Ozzy: No Escape From Now will hit screens next month

    Entertainment