Is ITV’s Gone based on a true story?

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From the outside looking in, the Polly family in ITV’s Gone appear to be the picture of harmony.

Michael (David Morrissey) leads a well-respected private school, and his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Alana (Emma Appleton), both teach there as well.

But one afternoon, Michael and Alana return home to discover that Sarah is missing.

After a long wait, hoping she would return home, they finally reported her missing to the police, who then began a search.

Detective Sergeant Annie Cassidy (Eve Myles) is assigned to work with Michael’s family, and quickly becomes suspicious of him. He seems strangely unaffected by his daughter’s disappearance, and more focused on school matters and rugby coaching than on helping the police or supporting his daughter.

Is Michael’s disturbing behavior just a result of his upbringing? Or is something much darker at play?

As I watched the current case unfold, I couldn’t help but notice how it was constantly shadowed by something from Detective Annie’s past. She’s clearly still deeply affected by the unsolved disappearance of Tina Bradley, a young woman whose case continues to haunt her. It’s a weight she carries, and it definitely impacts how she approaches her work now.

For the past eight years, the detective has become close to the victim’s mother, Carol. However, with no new leads emerging, Carol seems to be losing hope that the case will ever be solved.

“Will Annie ever find justice for Carol’s daughter?” asks the official synopsis.

The main mystery in Gone is made up, but the story about the unsolved case is based on a real and upsetting event, which is detailed below.

Is Gone based on a true story?

While the Sarah Polly storyline in ‘Gone’ is made up, it was partially inspired by the real-life work of Julie Mackay, a former detective with Gloucestershire Police. She famously solved the decades-old cold case murder of Melanie Road, a 17-year-old girl.

McKay explained to TopMob magazine that a recent portrayal of their investigation into a cold case didn’t quite match reality. The investigation was full of challenges, with progress often followed by setbacks and numerous unanswered questions. However, McKay expressed satisfaction with the portrayal, noting that Melanie’s family prefers to stay out of the public spotlight.

I recently spoke with Myles about the new series, and he explained that while Melanie’s story is definitely present, it’s more of a supporting element. Really, the focus is much more on Julie’s journey, and the plot ultimately heads in a direction I wasn’t expecting at all. It doesn’t overshadow everything, but it’s not the central driving force either.

I remember hearing about this case – it was back in June 1984. This young woman was just heading home after a night out with her friends at a club in Bath when she was attacked. It’s just awful to think about.

Melanie was brutally attacked, sexually assaulted, and stabbed repeatedly – 26 times – before being found by a milkman and his young son around 5:30 a.m. The discovery was made near some garages, not far from her house.

For 32 years, Melanie’s family and friends suffered the pain of knowing her killer hadn’t been brought to justice. They lived with this unbearable burden, waiting for answers.

In 2016, Christopher Hampton, then 32 years old, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Melanie. The judge ordered him to serve at least 22 years, and Hampton, who was 64 at the time, pleaded guilty to the crime.

The father of three originally claimed he didn’t kill Melanie, but police had previously found a family member’s DNA on her clothes.

Police had a DNA profile of the person they believed killed Melanie as far back as 1995, but couldn’t find a match in national DNA databases. That changed when DNA was collected from Hampton’s daughter after she was accused of a crime and entered into the system.

In 2015, tests were rerun on the killer’s DNA and confirmed a connection to his daughter. Police then asked Hampton to voluntarily provide a DNA sample, and the results showed it matched the DNA found at the crime scene.

“It’s a fascinating story, it’s an extraordinary case to follow,” Eve Myles told TopMob.

As a critic, I have to say the circumstances surrounding this case are truly remarkable. To revisit a crime after 25 years on a show like Crime Watch, emphasizing the fact the killer remained at large, and then for the investigator, Julie, to finally crack the case six years later… it’s just extraordinary. The sheer persistence and eventual success after all that time is something you rarely see, and it makes for a compelling story.

I’m glad people noticed and that George Kay, the series writer, and Richard Laxton, the director, brought attention to it. It’s an important story that deserves to be told, and Julie deserves recognition for it.

McKay co-authored a book called To Hunt a Killer with journalist Robert Murphy. The book explored Melanie’s story, as well as other similar cases.

Rob and I received inquiries about the rights to our book, and ultimately decided to collaborate with George Kay,” the former detective, who also consulted on the series with Murphy, explained to TopMob magazine.

I have to say, working with this screenwriter is incredibly inspiring. His latest, The Long Shadow – the one about the Peter Sutcliffe investigation – is genuinely terrific. He’d pick my brain about police work, asking for details on procedure, but he kept the overall story close to his chest. I was mostly throwing out potential scenarios until he sent me the finished scripts, and honestly, it was a really thrilling process to be a part of!

Although she and Myles have the same job, McKay was at a different point in her life and career when she was deeply involved in the Melanie Road case.

You know, talking to Annie Cassidy felt… familiar. She’s a detective sergeant, just like I was when I first got assigned to the Melanie Road case. She described it perfectly – it’s the rank that does the real work, the boots-on-the-ground stuff, chasing down every lead and detail.

Annie is independent and different from who I was at her age. I was a busy mom raising three children, and my life felt constantly hectic. Annie is brave, trusts her instincts, and is incredibly determined – she doesn’t give up easily, even if it means bending the rules.

Meanwhile, Myles described Julie as an “inspirational woman”.

I had the good fortune to connect with her, and we spoke on the phone several times and even met in person. She was incredibly generous, freely sharing her time and knowledge.

“She’s such an inspirational woman and hopefully we’ve done the story justice on the show.”

Gone begins airing on Sunday 8 March on ITV1 and ITVX.

Add ‘Gone’ to your watchlist on the TopMob app – get it now for daily TV recommendations, features, and more!

Authors

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor at TopMob, where she writes about TV dramas and comedies. Before joining TopMob, she was a TV writer for Digital Spy and a content writer for Mumsnet. She holds a degree and a postgraduate diploma in English Studies.

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2026-03-08 13:06