Believe Me writer on spotlighting victim’s stories, not John Worboys: “These women went through the most horrendous process”

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This article discusses sensitive and potentially disturbing topics like sexual assault and rape. Reader discretion is advised.

Jeff Pope, who used to oversee factual dramas at ITV and created ‘Believe Me,’ is very experienced at making compelling TV series inspired by true stories.

Stephen Pope, known for his work on shows like The Reckoning, Archie, The Walk-In, and Four Lives, is now focusing on the story of the people affected by John Worboys – a man the press called the ‘Black Cab Rapist’.

The upcoming four-episode series explores the systemic failures that allowed one of Britain’s most dangerous sex offenders to harm so many people. Aimée-Ffion Edwards, Aasiya Shah, and Miriam Petche star as women who were victims of his attacks.

True crime remains incredibly popular, but a new series by Pope takes a different approach. Instead of focusing on the perpetrator, it gives a voice to his victims and those affected by his crimes.

During a recent press conference for the show, actor Don Cheadle, speaking with TopMob and other media outlets, explained his approach to the role in ‘Believe Me’: he’s generally not interested in portraying or understanding the thoughts of characters who are psychopaths.

I’m most interested in exploring the themes of crime and its impact. Early in the creative process, the director, Julia Ford, Saurabh Kakkar (the producer), and I agreed that the story should focus on the experience of the victims or those who survived. The film doesn’t depict the actual drugging, but rather the confusion and aftermath these women faced, as they sensed something terrible had happened but couldn’t fully understand what it was.

What struck me most was how deeply he described following these women’s experiences, starting from the moment they reported being assaulted. He detailed the grueling process they endured – countless hours of interviews, incredibly personal examinations, and the collection of sensitive evidence. It was heartbreaking to hear how, after going through something so awful and bravely coming forward, they were ultimately told their accounts weren’t believed, essentially dismissing their experiences as if nothing had happened.

The new ITV drama tells the stories of Sarah and Laila, two women who reported sexual assaults by John Worboys. It focuses on how the Metropolitan Police handled their cases, and how that handling made them feel disbelieved and unsupported.

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The show depicts the difficult experiences many women face after reporting a rape, including repeated and invasive interviews, the collection of sensitive evidence, and often facing doubt and skepticism from law enforcement.

The book ‘Believe Me’ details how errors by the Metropolitan Police allowed David Worboys to continue sexually assaulting women without being caught for years. After his trial, it became clear he was also connected to allegations of sexual offenses against more than a hundred other women.

Pope explained his choice of focusing on Sarah, Laila, and Carrie in his book, Believe Me, because their cases were central to the entire investigation. Sarah was the first to report the assault and Worboys actually took her to a police station, making her case particularly important.

Even though Sarah was heavily intoxicated that night and it was difficult to get a clear account of what happened, you’d expect the police to have at least gotten the cab driver’s information or found CCTV footage to identify the cab’s license plate.

He added that he couldn’t understand how certain events hadn’t occurred. The story then follows Sarah and Laila, who successfully sued the police under the Human Rights Act – a first-of-its-kind case. Later, when Worboys was up for parole, it was these same women who challenged his release through a judicial review, ultimately keeping him in prison.

The legal challenge brought things to light, revealing that Worboys had claimed his crimes started in 2005, but Sarah was attacked in 2003. This meant she finally had her moment where the details of what happened to her were recognized as important in achieving justice. Sarah’s experience was central to the case, and the same holds true for Laila.

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For information and support, please visit Rape Crisis or The Survivors Trust.

Believe Me will air on ITV from 10 May with all four episodes available to stream on ITVX.

Don’t miss ‘Add Believe Me’! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV recommendations and exclusive content.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing and freelancing, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature.

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2026-05-06 11:35