Believe Me cast: Who stars in ITV’s true crime drama?

Believe Me, a new drama on ITV, tells the heartbreaking true story of the people affected by John Worboys, a notorious serial rapist and one of the UK’s most dangerous sex offenders. Written by Jeff Pope, the show focuses on the experiences of his victims and those who survived his attacks.

This series doesn’t center on the perpetrator, Worboys (Daniel Mays), but rather highlights the experiences of the women he harmed. To protect their privacy and authentically share their stories, the real women’s names have been changed.

This gripping series stars Aimée-Ffion Edwards, Aasiya Shah, and Miriam Petche, who draw on real-life experiences of not being taken seriously by the police and others when sharing their stories.

After meeting the woman who inspired the character ‘Sarah’, Edwards shared with ITV that it was incredibly valuable to simply talk to her about everyday life, as well as her experiences. He explained that getting to know her personality, her drive, and hearing about her close friendship with Frankie provided a much deeper understanding of who she is.

Who else appears in the four-episode series? Keep reading to learn more about the actors in ITV’s Believe Me.

Aimée-Ffion Edwards as Sarah

Sarah is a single mother who, after having her son Jack, is encouraged by friends to go out for the first time. Exhausted, she gets into a taxi driven by a man named Worboys, who offers her champagne, claiming he’d just won at a casino. The next morning, Sarah wakes up in the hospital, believing she was sexually assaulted, but the police investigation is handled poorly and makes an already traumatic situation even harder for her.

You might recognize Aimée-Ffion Edwards from her roles in popular shows like Peaky Blinders, Slow Horses, Dreamland, and Curfew. She’s also appeared in The Revenge Club, War of the Worlds, and Keeping Faith.

Aasiya Shah as Laila

Laila was out with friends when they went home, leaving her to take a taxi alone. Tragically, the taxi driver, Worboys, drugged and assaulted her. Although CCTV footage captured his car dropping her off near her home, Laila made the difficult decision not to tell her family about the attack and to pause her studies while navigating the legal and police investigation.

You might recognize Aasiya Shah from her recent role as Q in Prime Video’s Bait. She’s also appeared in Raised By Wolves, We Might Regret This, and Bloods, as well as guest roles in Unforgotten and The Beast Must Die.

Daniel Mays as John Worboys

John Worboys was a highly dangerous sex offender in the UK who repeatedly raped women. He targeted women late at night who were trying to get home safely, and tricked them by claiming he’d won a lot of money at the casino. He’d offer them drinks laced with drugs, allowing him to later assault them. As shown in the series Believe Me, his crimes went on for years without being discovered.

You might recognize Daniel Mays from shows like Line of Duty (season 3), Des, White Lines, Temple, and Code 404. He’s also appeared in more recent series such as A Thousand Blows, Moonflower Murders, The Long Shadow, and Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.

Miriam Petche as Carrie

Carrie Johnson is known to many as the wife of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a media consultant. However, the book ‘Believe Me’ introduces her as a student in 2007. One night, while waiting for the bus, she accepted a ride home from John Worboys, who initially seemed friendly. After listening to his usual story about casinos, she hesitantly accepted a drink he offered and then lost consciousness. Although she believed she hadn’t been assaulted, she later played a key role in encouraging other women to share their experiences with Worboys.

You might recognize Miriam Petche from her roles in HBO’s Industry, where she first gained attention in 2024. Earlier in her career, she also appeared in The Worst Witch as a child.

Philippa Dunne as Harriet Wistrich

Harriet Wistrich is a dedicated lawyer who teamed up with Sarah, Laila, and Phillippa to take legal action against the Metropolitan Police. They sued under the Human Rights Act because of how the police handled their reports of sexual assault.

You might recognize Philippa Dunne from her roles in popular shows like Motherland and its spin-off, Amandaland. She’s also appeared in The Woman in the Wall, Bodies, Derry Girls, and This Is Going to Hurt.

Rachael Stirling as Phillippa Kaufmann QC

I’ve been following the Sarah and Laila case closely, and Philippa Kaufmann QC is the lawyer leading their legal battle against the Metropolitan Police. She’s been amazing – really digging up the key evidence they need and fighting hard to get these women the justice they deserve. She’s a total powerhouse in the courtroom, honestly.

You might recognize Rachael Stirling from shows like Women in Love, The Bletchley Circle, and Detectorists. She’s also appeared in Life, Hollington Drive, and Heartstopper.

Jordan Bolger as Connor

Connor is Sarah’s ex-boyfriend and the father of their son, Jack. Even though they’re no longer a couple, there’s still some lingering attraction between them. However, things become strained after Sarah is attacked. Not only does the police not believe her, but Connor also begins to doubt her story.

Many viewers might recognize Jordan Bolger from his previous roles. He previously appeared in Peaky Blinders alongside his Believe Me co-star, Edwards. Bolger has also been in The 100, This Town, and The Book of Boba Fett.

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

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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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2026-05-10 11:35