Viewers left uneasy over BBC’s ‘sensitive’ 2-part factual drama about Sarah Everard

TV viewers have been left feeling uneasy over the BBC‘s latest announcement that a two-part factual drama will portray the events surrounding the murder of Sarah Everard.

Sarah was abducted, raped and murdered by Wayne Couzens, a serving member of the Metropolitan Police, as she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, south London, on 3 March 2021.

News of Sarah’s death sparked a national outcry, with many taking to the streets to protest institutional misogyny and failings within policing, as well as to call for greater awareness around women’s safety.

The case remains an extremely sensitive subject, leaving some viewers questioning the necessity of a factual drama so soon after the events.

The series is written by BAFTA-winning Jeff Pope, who has created other factual dramas based on real-life cases including Little Boy Blue, Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and A Confession. According to the BBC, the drama will be handled with “sensitivity and respect”, and the production team has been in contact with Sarah’s family.

What to expect from the factual drama

According to the BBC, the two-part series will focus on the circumstances that allowed Wayne Couzens, a sexual offender, to become and remain an officer in the Metropolitan Police.

© Dan Kitwood

The BBC synopsis continues: “It will explore how, over many years and across his career in different police forces, significant evidence of sexual offending was repeatedly dismissed and poor vetting and a lack of training and motivation meant vital evidence against him was never collected. 

“It will consider the impact these failings have had on public confidence in policing, particularly in light of the epidemic of violence against women and girls.”

Viewers react to the news 

Uneasy viewers took to social media to share their concerns about the new series.

“That’s a heavy story, will need to be handled carefully,” wrote one person, while another said: “Turning real tragedy into primetime drama again. The story of Sarah Everard deserves justice, not just viewership. Awareness matters, but at what point does storytelling become exploitation?”

© Dan Kitwood

Meanwhile, Glamour’s Lucy Morgan penned: “I must admit, I still feel wary about this traumatic news story being adapted for entertainment. Even if the BBC handles it with the utmost care and respect, can we be sure that journalists and viewers alike will do the same?”

Elsewhere, one viewer pointed to its potential wider impact: “It’s going to be intense, but telling Sarah Everard’s story could raise awareness about safety and the real risks women face, as long as it’s handled sensitively.”

What have the creators said?

Upon the announcement, writer and executive producer Jeff Pope released a statement addressing the purpose of the series.

“Wayne Couzens should never have been a police officer, but opportunities to deny him that privilege were missed,” he said. “That he was still a serving officer on the night of March 3rd 2021, after committing numerous sexual offences over a long period of time, was a tragedy waiting to happen, and the key question asked by this drama.”

© BBC

Meanwhile, Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, added: “Drama has a unique ability to sensitively and respectfully tackle real life subjects and this series will explore the impact of this horrific crime, the misogyny and failings from within the Met Police and what lessons can be learnt. 

“Award-winning writer Jeff Pope will treat this with the utmost care, helping to ensure that the issues that led to Sarah Everard’s murder remain in the public consciousness for years to come, whilst continuing to hold the police to account.”