MR BATES VS THE POST OFFICE - mon to thur ITV 9pm - tv pace no spoilers

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Mon to thur

Mr Bates vs The Post Office is an ITV drama based on a true story of injustice starring Toby Jones, Julie Hesmondhalgh, WIll Mellor and Monica Dolan.
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Mr Bates vs The Post Office is a hard-hitting ITV1 drama starring Toby Jones, Monica Dolan and Julie Hesmondhalgh among others.

The series details one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history, where thousands of Post Office sub postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system.

Mr Bates vs The Post Office follows Alan Bates (Toby Jones), a sub postmaster who decided to fight back against a scandalous miscarriage of justice.

He was one of thousands of sub postmasters and postmistresses who between 2000 and 2013 were falsely accused of theft due to financial discrepancies thrown up by the flawed Horizon computerised accounting system.

More than 700 were prosecuted and several went to prison while others lost their homes and life savings trying to pay back the money the Post Office claimed was missing.

Many were unfairly ostracised from their communities, who believed they were criminals.

In 2009 Alan Bates decided to form the Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance (https://www.jfsa.org.uk/), uniting thousands of his colleagues to
fight to clear their names.

It is a really important watch and I hope it helps those affected. I also hope those responsible are brought to justice. I also hope it brings down the Post Office itself.

I am so angry and upset by this after hearing the BBC Sounds podcast.

@Blondeshavemorefun

I've name changed but thanks for tagging me in.

I loved it , all the characters are being played brilliantly and a harrowing story they had to tell . Looking forward to tomorrow and the other nights.

Is there anywhere to watch it all?

Really powerful first episode. I had a few tears when everyone started turning up at the meeting.

I hope those responsible are squirming tonight.

Such a tough watch, brilliant performances from all.

I had no idea that the post office could manage the legal process in that way.

Ive worked in financial software for 20 years, I can't imagine ever being able to sleep again if I'd worked on that product.

I knew about this but the drama is excellent. Absolutely unforgivable situation.

I've watched the first episode. It's by far the best thing that has been on tv over Christmas and the New Year.

I was aware of the case, mainly because of the Private Eye coverage but the drama really brought home how confusing and terrifying it was for those caught up in it.

The absolute lying bastards from the Post Office, saying that nobody else was experiencing problems. It's a long time since a programme has made me so angry.

Does anyone know if the PO still has the power to conduct its own investigations and prosecutions?

Does she have a church and a congregation? I wonder what they think about her?

I did know about this, but seeing the dramatisation makes it all real. Just normal people, who were totally confused and terrified. How on earth was this ever allowed to happen. It’s absolutely disgraceful.

That's horrific

I think it's all on ITVx now.

I'm in my 50s and was only vaguely aware of it. But omg episode 1 was so good and really should be watched. Massively impactful. Normal innocent people being accused of ridiculous amounts of fraud and theft. Seemingly no investigation of where the money went & the fact that these families lived modest lifestyles. The courts must have thought it odd that these crimes suddenly escalated from no where. Massive cover up. Lives literally wrecked

Ah found it on itx on my iphone so watching with baby over shoulder

So happened 20yrs ago

I was 30

I still have no memory or this at all

The poor woman when followed instructions on the phone and suddenly £2k doubled to £4k and she would have to pay the diff herself

Wtf

What company would ever say that

JenniferBooth
So what computer system are they currently using?

Still Fujitsu’s Horizon System, they were awarded another £42 million pound deal in 2021.

@Lucieinthesky07 they are still using the same system that destroyed peoples lives 🙀🙀🙀

Their legal rep apologised a while back for Fujitsu's part in the sub-post masters suffering. They got off lightly as the Post Office behaved so appallingly. They are focused on reputation management now but Fujitsu are so deeply entrenched in the Government/Public Sector (HMRC, Border Force, Home Office) etc and it seems clear Rishi Sunak doesn't want to upset the Japanese either. Just an awful, heartbreaking watch.

I checked it on the telly and it wasn't there but it's on the app.

Apparently the real Alan Bates was nominated for an OBE in the 2024 honours list but he turned it down and refuses to accept it whilst Paula Vennellls still holds a CBE.

that is integrity of the highest order

Are you fucking kidding me!!

Someone is getting a back hander somewhere

Here’s an experiment - type in your location and “postmaster guilty fraud”. I bet you anything a news article that’s 10-15 years old comes up and mentions Horizon

Vennells needs holding to account - not just resigning various jobs / positions.

It isn't enough, but there is a petition to have her stripped of her CBE - Strip Paula Vennells of her CBE | 38 Degrees

Worth noting, if you do this, that some postmasters actually pleaded guilty, because they were advised by their lawyers to do so.

28p for a stamp!

A free in Manchester