Industry star explains why it’s important for ITV true crime drama Believe Me to highlight Carrie Johnson’s story

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The new drama, Believe Me, is based on the well-known John Worboys case, and some viewers might be surprised to learn that Carrie Symonds (now Carrie Johnson) played a role in the events depicted.

Carrie Johnson, now married to former UK prime minister Boris Johnson, recounts a 2007 incident when, at age 19, she was driven home by Worboys after a night out in Chelsea.

She remembered accepting a drink from Worboys that he had secretly spiked with a drug. Later, she became one of the fourteen women who gave evidence against him in court.

Although Carrie’s situation differs from those of Sarah (Aimée-Ffion Edwards) and Laila (Aasiya Shah) in the series, she eventually uses her skills and knowledge to help keep Worboys imprisoned.

Miriam Petche, who played Carrie, explained that her character played a vital role in ensuring the continued imprisonment of Worboys. Petche highlighted Carrie’s dedication to the parole decision, noting she skillfully used her communication skills to raise awareness about the case, support the legal fight, and ultimately, help achieve a crucial outcome. Petche emphasized that this required significant courage and effort.

“I think it’s a very important aspect of the story to be spoken about.”

The Industry actress explained to ITV that the real woman she’s portraying played a unique role in the case. After the Worboys trial, she chose to reveal her identity and spoke publicly to inspire other women to share their experiences.

She also assisted with fundraising efforts and leveraged her media connections to challenge the Parole Board’s 2018 decision through a legal review.

It took remarkable bravery for her to put her job on the line and use her resources to help these women successfully appeal the parole decision in court.

Petche explained that he studied how the subject perceived the situation, looking at her past interviews and conversations – which were accurately reflected in the script. He found she saw the person in question as modest and unaware of his full potential.

She was shocked to learn his true identity after reading a newspaper report about events in London.

The series centers on Daniel Mays (known for ‘A Thousand Blows’) as Worboys, and tells the stories of Sarah, Laila, and Carrie. It highlights how the investigation affected these women and left them feeling unheard and disbelieved.

This series depicts the difficult experiences many women face after reporting a rape, including repeated, invasive interviews, the collection of sensitive evidence, and often, challenging and doubting questioning from law enforcement.

As a real cinema fan, I’m anticipating ‘Believe Me’ will show how the Metropolitan Police’s mistakes basically allowed John Worboys to keep attacking people without being caught for years. What really shocked me, and I expect the film will highlight, is that after his trial, it came out he was connected to over a hundred other alleged sexual assaults. It’s a truly disturbing story, and I think the film will really lay bare how systemic failures let this happen.

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You can watch “Believe Me” tonight at 9pm on ITV1. All four episodes are also available to stream now 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

I’m a huge fan of Morgan Cormack’s work! She’s a Drama Writer at TopMob, and she really knows her stuff when it comes to TV and streaming. Before that, she was writing about entertainment for Stylist, and she’s also done content marketing and freelancing. It’s clear she’s got a strong background in storytelling, with a BA in English Literature to boot!

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2026-05-10 09:34