Lost Honour Of Christopher Jeffries, The (ITV 2014, Jason Watkins)

Two-part drama The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jeffries was written by award-winning screenwriter Peter Morgan is based on the true story of how retired schoolteacher Christopher Jefferies was vilified for a murder that he did not commit.

When Greg Reardon (Matthew Barker) returned from a weekend away to the flat in Bristol he shared with his girlfriend Joanna Yeates (Carla Turner) to find her missing, he contacted the police. It was just before Christmas 2010, and the case of the missing
landscape artist soon became headline news.

Christopher Jefferies (Jason Watkins) was Greg and Jo’s landlord and also lived in the same block. When Jo’s body was found in the snow on Christmas Day, he was questioned by the police. Jefferies was later arrested on suspicion of murder, but despite the lack of evidence against him the tabloid press and TV news channels named him. His face was emblazoned on newspaper front pages as if he had already been found guilty and he was the subject of a number of defamatory articles.

Jefferies was released on bail after a few days, but it was not until January 20 that another tenant in the same building, Vincent Tabak (Joe Sims), was arrested and charged with Jo’s murder. Tabak was eventually found guilty in October. After being vilified by the press, the last thing Jefferies wanted was to step back into the limelight, but as it became apparent that his life would not return to normal, he embarked on a fight to clear his name.

production details
UK / ITV – Carnival / 2×90 minute episodes / Broadcast Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 December 2014 @ 9.00pm

Writer: Peter Morgan

cast
Jason Watkins as Christopher Jeffries
Ben Caplan as Charles Chapman
Shaun Parkes as Paul Okebu
Nathalie Armin as Melissa Chapman
James Lailey as DC Paul Connor
Joe Coen as DC Paul Batty
Ben Frimstone as Postman
Anna Maxwell Martin as Janine
Matthew Barker as Greg Reardon
Carla Turner as Joanna Yeates
Joe Sims as Vincent Tabak
Jennifer Higham as Tanja
Colin Mace as Peter Stanley
Flip Webster as Susan
Jonathan Newth as Geoffrey