Shipman (ITV-1 2002, James Bolam, James Hazledine)

Drama based on the true-life events of Dr Harold Shipman, a well-liked community GP from Hyde in greater Manchester who, over a period of many years, murdered many of his elderly patients by lethal injection – not with any element of mercy but simply if he thought he could get away with it. The story unfolds from the point where Shipman makes a clumsy attempt to forge the will of his latest victim in his favour rousing the suspicions of the deceased woman?s daughter and it follows the police investigation that led to his arrest and trial.

The story, which was broadcast just two years after Shipman’s conviction caused no small amount of controversy as there was still an ongoing enquiry into just how many of his patients the Doctor may have actually killed.

production details
UK / ITV-1 – Yorkshire – Chameleon / 1×100 minute episode / Broadcast 9 July 2002 at 9:00pm

Writer: Michael Eaton / Producer: Nick Finnis / Director: Roger Bamford

cast
James Bolam as Doctor Harold Shipman
James Hazeldine as Detective Inspector Stan Egerton
Alan Rothwell as Alan Massey
Tony Melody as Len Fellows
Elizabeth Bennett as Angela Woodruff
Jonathan Coy as Detective Chief Superintendent Bernard Postles
Gareth Thomas as Reverend Denis Thomas
Demelza Randall as Debbie Bambroffe
Siobhan Finneran as Kathleen Adanski
John Flanagan as Jim King
Deborah Norton as Debra King
Wilfred Harrison as Mr King
Sally Sheridan as Doctor Linda Reynolds
Michael Stainton as John Shaw
Olive Pendleton as Kathleen Grundy
Veda Warwick as May Clarke
Madelaine Evans as Doctor Susan Booth
Jacqueline Pilton as Primrose Shipman
Mary Macleod as Ivy
Clare Kerrigan as Teenage Girl
Irene Skillington as Bereaved Woman
Ken Kitson as Inspector Dave Smith
Paul Oldham as Paul Spencer
Michael Wardle as John Green
Mark Pepper as Ronald Pickford
Colin Meredith as Brian Burgess
Norman Mills as Detective Constable Dave O’Brien
Martin Reeve as Detective Sergeant Bob Hampson
Peter Henry Jones as Doctor Rutherford
Mark Luigi as Sergeant Elwyn Jones),
Carrie Davies as Detective Sergeant Sally Reid
Malcolm Raeburn as Detective Chief Inspector Williams
Paul Slack as Detective Sergeant John Walker
Derek Hicks as Detective Inspector Steve Fullalove
David Blair as Detective Constable Mark Denham
Susan Cookson as Marie Snitynski
Ken Bradshaw as Detective Sergeant Mark Warering
Alison Burrows as Julie Evans