The real-life Alan Bates, who inspired the ITV drama Mr Bates VS The Post Office, has received a lavish holiday from Richard Branson.
The 69-year-old was portrayed by actor Toby Jones in ITV’s recent drama. The series depicted the British Post Office scandal. The scandal has since been dubbed one of the “greatest miscarriages of justice” in British legal history. Alan Bates was at the heart of it and has since been tirelessly campaigning for two decades to get justice for subpostmasters.
Appearing on This Morning on Monday (January 8), Alan was told Richard had offered him a stay on his island.
Alan Bates looked emotional today (Credit: ITV)
Alan Bates on This Morning
Hosts Craig Doyle and Josie Gibson revealed they’d been in touch with Richard Branson. They read out a letter Richard had written for Alan.
“Dear Alan, I did get a chance to read your moving interview in The Times, and we’d love to offer you and Suzanne a well earned holiday on Necker Island,” he wrote.
“I can’t think of anyone who deserves a break more. Hopefully see you there. Best, Richard,” he then added. He also learned he and his wife would be getting a Mediterranean cruise and first-class return flights.
Visibly choked up, Alan said: “Thank you very much Richard! Much appreciated. Much needed, but very much appreciated.”
Viewers were delighted for Alan. “Aww I’m not crying you are. So well deserved for Mr Bates & his partner Suzanne. Hope they have an amazing time,” one fan tweeted.
Richard gave Alan a surprise (Credit: Diary of a CEO / YouTube)
Alan Bates turned down an OBE
In other news, Alan recently revealed why he turned down his OBE.
Due to his hard work and commitment, Alan was awarded an OBE. But it turns out he refused to accept it – and even felt “insulted” when he found out about it.
The Post Office scandal saw hundreds of innocent subpostmasters and postmistresses wrongly accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting. This was because of a defective IT system.
Due to that faulty IT system, 739 were prosecuted. Hundreds more lost livelihoods, homes, and life savings because they paid back the money the Post Office claimed was missing. Several even went to prison.
The ITV drama featured actor Toby Jones (Credit: ITV)
Mr Bates VS The Post Office on ITV
The recent four-part drama told the story of how in 2009, a group of subpostmasters across Britain decided enough was enough and formed the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance. And Alan was at the forefront of the group.
So much so, that Alan was recognised for his work in campaigning for justice for the people who were affected. But he has since revealed how he turned down the chance to be awarded an OBE from the British establishment.
Alan has turned down an OBE (Credit: ITV)
Real-life Mr Bates refused OBE
Speaking to the Mirror, Alan explained his reason for not wanting to become an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
“The first thing that sprang to my mind while reading the letter was Paula Vennells still had a CBE. I felt so deeply insulted,” he said. Paula Vennells is the former Post Office boss whom many blame for the scandal. She was awarded a CBE back in 2019.
Alan went on: “She presided over a policy of harassing hundreds of innocent people. It’s not just that the Government hasn’t asked her to return it, what’s even worse is that despite knowing the strength of feeling about it, how people have suffered and some cases died on her watch – she doesn’t feel inclined to give it back.”
Mr Bates ‘insulted’ over OBE for Post Office Scandal campaigning
Alan also spoke out about not wanting the OBE during an episode of GMB last Tuesday (January 2).
He said: “I was offered an OBE but I’ve always said it’s not just about me. It’s about the whole group. But as far as myself goes I couldn’t accept it.”
Alan went on: “It would have been a slap in the face to the rest of the group because Paula Venells, the CEO for many years of Post Office, received a CBE for her services to Post Office. Well, what service has she actually done?”
ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office has gripped viewers across the country – but what happened to the real people portrayed in the drama?
Between 2000 and 2015, 736 sub-postmasters were prosecuted as a result of financial discrepancies caused by the faulty Horizon IT system. Hundreds more were held liable, losing homes, livelihoods and their lives in their attempts to repay the Post Office.
The shocking truth behind the Post Office Scandal has left viewers angry and numb. But what happened to the sub-postmasters featured in the show in real life? And what happened to those in charge of the Post Office cover up?
The real Alan Bates, campaigner for victims of the Post Office scandal (Credit: ITV)
Wronged sub-postmaster Alan Bates continues to fight for the victims of the Post Office Scandal
Alan Bates, played by Toby Jones in the drama, opened a Post Office counter in the shop he co-owned with partner Suzanne (played by Julie Hesmondhalgh) in May 1998. They believed it was a safe career choice that would allow them to pursue their hobbies.
They were wrong. By 2000, Alan had noticed discrepancies with the shop’s Horizon machine. He reported his concerns to the Post Office multiple times, and by 2003 the Post Office terminated his contract. He was never prosecuted for theft, despite the Post Office claiming a shortfall in takings at his branch.
Alan didn’t stop, however, reporting his concerns to journalists. By 2009, Computer Weekly released a report on the Horizon system’s flaws. That same year, he formed the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA) featured in Mr Bates vs the Post Office.
Since then, Alan hasn’t stopped. He’s spent more than a decade campaigning for convictions to be quashed, sub-postmasters to receive compensation, and a greater understanding of the scandal. It took until 2019 for the Post Office to admit wrongdoing.
He said he won’t stop until everyone from the JFSA receives suitable compensation. “For me to try and draw a line under my involvement will be when the initial 555, the group that brought the court action, have received the financial redress due to them.
“You will never be able to repay people for what they’ve gone through and you will never be able to give them back all those years of suffering that they’ve had to endure. But hopefully, it might alleviate some of their problems going forward.”
In 2023, Alan declined the offer of a OBE, claiming he could not accept while former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells still held her CBE.
The real Jo Hamilton from the Post Office Scandal (Credit: ITV)
The real people behind Mr Bates vs The Post Office: Jo Hamilton
Jo Hamilton, played by Monica Dolan, was the sub-postmaster South Warnborough, Hampshire. Accepting the Post Office’s claims that she was the only person having problems, Jo believed she was at fault. She remortgaged her house twice to repay the Post Office, but it still wasn’t enough. She was fired from her position in 2006, and later charged with the theft of £36,000.
Jo pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of false accounting, and members of her community showed up to her trial in support.
In April 2021, Jo was one of 39 former convicted postmasters who had their convictions overturned. Sadly, three of those convicted postmasters did not live to see their names cleared.
In her witness statement after being cleared, Jo said: “18 years have been stolen from me, to say nothing of the money that was taken and the wider impact on those close to me. My parents went to their graves without knowing that I would ever be exonerated – that can never be rectified.
“The Post Office has blood on their hands.”
Jo continues to campaign for the full exoneration of wronged sub-postmasters and rightful compensation. In 2022, she shared her story in the Panorama special The Post Office Scandal.
Lee Castleton
Lee Castleton, played by Will Mellor, was the sub-postmaster at Bridlington, Yorkshire from 2003-2004. He ran the post office, while wife Lisa (Amy Nuttall) managed the attached newsagents.
Lee noticed that the figures weren’t adding up quickly. Knowing his accounting was right, he repeatedly rang the Post Office’s IT helpline for help.
Eventually, Lee asked for an audit to get to the bottom of the issue. The audit found Lee had a shortfall of £25,000. He was suspended immediately afterwards.
The Post Office took Lee to the High Court, where – with no money to spare – he was forced to represent himself. He believed he would be exonerated if he just told the truth, but he was not. The High Court ruled in favour of the Post Office and the Post Office began to chase for a legal bill totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds. Lee and Lisa could not pay, and were forced to declare bankruptcy.
After meeting Alan Bates and joining the group litigation, the Post Office agreed to a settlement for the Castletons in 2017.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Lee revealed he now works nightshifts in a local factory while Lisa works in a supermarket.
He said: “We haven’t got to the end of this; I’m still fighting, we’re still victims. But I look forward to the day when it is not the last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about when I wake up.”
Real people behind Mr Bates Vs The Post Office: Michael and Susan Rudkin
Michael Rudkin, played by Shaun Dooley, and his wife Susan, were also victims of the Post Office Scandal. The pair ran the Stairfoot Post Office in Barnsley from 1995 before buying the Ibstock Post Office in Leicestershire in 2000. Michael ran the Ibstock branch, while Susan also worked there.
In 2006, Michael received a role on the Executive Board of the National Federation of sub-postmasters. This meant he spent more time working in London, while Susan ran the Ibstock branch in his place.
Susan noticed problems, and, like with Lee, it all came to a head after auditors confirmed she owed £44,000. She was quickly interviewed by Post Office investigators, who refused her legal representation. She was suspended that same day. Her and Michael both lost their jobs.
By 2009, Susan pleaded guilty to theft while under pressure to avoid a harsher sentence.
The pair were forced to turn their Ibstock home into a bed and breakfast in order to survive, which they still run to this day.
In 2021, Susan’s conviction was overturned alongside Jo’s. The government offered £600,000 compensation, minus profits made from the B&B business, but Michael argued it was not enough.
Michael told the BBC: “When you take into account that we have been out of the business for 15 years – that is 5,475 days. [£600,000] works out at just over £100 a day – which is absolutely obscene.
“We will not accept £600,000 – and that is £600,000 minus what my wife has earnt.”
The pair continue to seek alternative compensation.
Martin and Gina Griffiths
Martin and Gina Griffiths, played by Colin Tierney and Clare Calbraith, ran the Hope Farm Road Post Office in Great Sutton together for 14 years.
Shortfalls started appearing on their Horizon machine from 2009. The couple put their life savings into the machine to balance the books. By 2013, the Post Office gave Martin three months before they terminated his contract. Michael then took his own life.
Gina told Panorama: “They hounded him. They persecuted him. Didn’t seem to be any end to it at the time.
“He’s a proud man and I think he thought he was letting us all down; his children, his parents, me. To turn the machine off in the morning, and the worst, the worst thing for me was seeing my children.
“They had to see their dad die and it was purely down to the Post Office. Nobody else. So I blame them.”
Following the suicide, Gina applied for compensation in 2015. She was offered a payout that contained a gagging clause, preventing her from speaking publicly about the ordeal.
The real Noel Thomas, an accused sub-postmaster during the Post Office Scandal (Credit: ITV)
The real people behind Mr Bates vs The Post Office: Noel Thomas
Noel Thomas, played by Ifan Huw Dafydd, ran the Post Office in Gaerwan, Anglesey, Wales. He’d worked for the Post Office since the 1960s. In 2003, he began to notice discrepancies in his numbers. His world was turned upside down in October 2005, when auditors began to investigate a shortfall of £48,000. He lost his position as sub-postmaster, as well as his position as a county councillor.
Noel pleaded guilty to false accounting and was sentenced to nine months in prison. He spent his 60th birthday behind bars.
He told the Mirror: “They made me bankrupt and I had nothing. When I came home I didn’t like having the bedroom door shut. I have to get out and go for walks as much as possible. Even now I don’t like being shut up in the house or to be in one room too long.”
Noel and his wife were forced to move in with their daughter Sian after losing their home. By 2009, when the JCFA was formed, he was working for Yodel’s delivery service.
In April 2021, he too had his name cleared at the Court of Appeal. He has since received compensation from the Post Office.
Pam Stubbs
Pam, played by Lesley Nicol, was the sub-postmaster at Barkham Post Office in Wokingham. In 2009, due to building work on her branch, she and her Horizon terminal moved to a Portakabin in the branch’s car park. It was only after she moved her terminal that Pam began having issues with Horizon.
She called the helpline regularly, although – like the others – found it wasn’t much help. At one point, an auditor arrived and saw the Horizon system glitch in front of their eyes, suddenly displaying a shortfall of £300. Despite this, an investigation found no problems with the system.
Pam was suspended by the Post Office in 2010, after the Post Office said she had accrued losses of £25,000.
She continued to run the shop attached to her Post Office while the Post Office was run by agency staff. Pam eventually sold her Post Office, including the shop and her home.
Former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells received a CBE for her services in 2019
Paula Vennells, played by Lia Williams, was the CEO of the Post Office as they continued to persecute sub-postmasters despite evidence of Horizon’s faults. She joined the Post Office in 2007, before becoming CEO in 2012 – a position she held until 2019.
During Paula’s tenure, the Post Office went from making huge losses to turning a profit.
Away from the Post Office, Paula was also an ordained Church of England priest. She served as a Minister at Bronham, Bedfordshire and St Albans, Hertfordshire, though she was not paid for these duties.
Paula left the Post Office in 2019 and received a CBE for her services. She next became chair of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, but left this role in 2020.
In 2021, after Jo and 38 others had their convictions quashed, Paula stepped down from multiple roles. These included her duties as an Anglican priest, and directorships at Morrisons and Dunelm.
Angela Van den Bogerd
Angela Van den Bogerd, portrayed by Katherine Kelly, worked for the Post Office and was in charge of handling Horizon complaints in 2010.
She worked for the Post Office for more than 33 years, with positions including as Network Change Operations Manager, Head of Network Services, Head of Partnerships, Director of Support Services, People & Change Director and Business Improvement Director.
Her role in the Post Office Scandal became clear in 2019, when High Court Judge said she “did not give me frank evidence, and sought to obfuscate matters, and mislead me”.
Angela stepped down from her role at the Post Office and was later appointed Head of People at the Football Association of Wales in 2020. She left the role in 2021, following disquiet over her appointment.
James Arbuthnot, the MP who supported the sub-postmasters (Credit: ITV)
The real people behind Mr Bates vs The Post Office: James Arbuthnot MP
Conservative politician James Arbuthnot (Alex Jennings) joined the JFSA campaign in 2015 in support of his constituent Jo Hamilton.
He was the MP for North East Hampshire at the time, a position he’d held since 1997.
In 2015 an independent report found the Post Office did not make attempts to explain the shortfalls before prosecuting subpostmasters. In response, Arbuthnot called for a judge-led investigation into how the Post Office had handled the situation.
He said: “These are people who have been pillars of the community and have their reputations dragged through the mud.
“The way they have been treated is an utter disgrace.”
Former Prime Minister David Cameron nominated James as a peer in August 2015. He became Baron Arbuthnot of Edrom, of Edrom in the County of Berwick that October.
As of 2023, he continues to sit on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office concludes tonight (Thursday, January 4) on ITV1 at 9pm. You can stream the series now on ITVX.
The Post Office has issued an apology following the launch of new drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office on ITV.
The new drama tells the story of “one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history”.
The new drama launched last night (Credit: ITV)
Mr. Bates vs The Post Office launches on ITV
The new ITV drama depicts the British Post Office scandal. The scandal has since been dubbed one of the “greatest miscarriages of justice” in British legal history.
Hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting. This was thanks to a defective IT system.
Due to that faulty IT system, 739 were prosecuted. Hundreds more lost livelihoods, homes, and life savings because they paid back the money the Post Office claimed was missing. Several even went to prison.
The new four-part drama tells the story of how in 2009, a group of subpostmasters across Britain decided enough was enough and formed the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance.
Post Office issues apology following launch of Mr Bates vs The Post Office
Now, the Post Office has issued an apology to those affected by the scandal.
The apology was shared by the official Post Office Twitter account for 64.5k followers to see.
“We sincerely apologise to victims for the devastating impact of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal on the lives of so many,” they said.
“We are doing all we can to provide redress and urge anyone affected who has not yet come forward to do so,” they then added.
In a video, the Post Office chief executive, Nick Read, said that his “commitment to address the consequences of the Horizon scandal, the victims, has been unwavering”.
Toby Jones’ performance has been praised (Credit: ITV)
Viewers react to new drama
The drama has proven to be a success with viewers already. Many took to Twitter to deliver their verdict last night (Monday, January 1).
“Very well done with the ever impressive Toby Jones,” one fan tweeted. “The first episode of Mr Bates vs the Post Office on @ITV was absolutely brilliant tonight, Toby Jones always delivers a great performance whatever he’s in,” another said.
“Mr Bates v The Post Office what a great drama, highlighting an unbelievable injustice to these poor people,” a third said.
All the signs are telling us that 2024 is going to be epic. Here’s a sneak peek of exactly what new and returning drama is coming in 2024.
Cast of Mr Bates Vs The Post Office (Credit: ITV)
Mr Bates vs the Post Office
Premieres on ITV1 on New Year’s Day at 9pm
The shocking true story of the Post Office Scandal is dramatised in star-studded new drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office. Toby Jones stars as Alan Bates, the former subpostmaster who – along with other wronged subpostmasters – took the Post Office to court.
The Tourist (Season 2)
Returns to BBC One on New Year’s Day at 9pm
After season one’s Australian adventure, The Tourist travels to Ireland as Elliot (Jamie Dornan) searches for more clues about his past. Once there, he uncovers dangerous friends and foes as well as a fierce family rivalry.
A new thriller about a group of older friends who make a pact to – once their time comes – help end each other’s lives on their own terms. Lindsay Duncan, Clarke Peters and Sue Johnston all star.
Sarah Lancashire returns as the famous TV chef, Julia Child, for a new series of the biographical drama. The show follows Julia’s years on pioneering cooking series The French Chef in 1960s Massachusetts. In season 2, Julia’s working on her second cookbook – ahead of possible new episodes of The French Chef.
Call the Midwife (Season 13)
Returns to BBC One on January 7 at 8pm
A new series of the hit period drama premieres in January. Two new midwives join Nonnatus House as part of a training scheme, as Call the Midwife moves into 1969. Poplar’s dealing with many health and social issues, mainly due to poor housing, with the nuns facing more difficult choices than ever before.
Silent Witness (Season 27)
Returns to BBC One on January 8
Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and Jack Hodgson (David Caves) are back investigating some of their toughest cases to date. In five new two-part mysteries, there’s the return of a serial killer, the discovery of a mummified corpse as well as a makeshift mass grave under a train station.
Sophie Rundle in After the Flood (Credit: ITV)
After the Flood
Premieres on ITV1 on January 10 at 9pm
Sophie Rundle stars in this new ITV drama, which explores the aftermath of a devastating natural event. After the discovery of a body in a flooded underground car park, police officers are quick to dismiss the death as a terrible misfortune. PC Joanna Marshall (Sophie) thinks otherwise, but can she prove it?
Criminal Record (Season 1)
Premieres on AppleTV+ on January 10
A new London crime thriller about two brilliant detectives – one an up-and-coming new mind (Cush Jumbo) and one an old-timer determined to protect his legacy (Peter Capaldi) – as they clash over new information on an old murder case.
Robson Green and Tom Brittney in Grantchester series 8
Grantchester (Season 8)
Returns to ITV1 on January 11 at 9pm
Robson Green returns as DI Geordie Keating and Tom Brittney as Reverend Will Davenport for season eight of the Cambridgeshire-set drama. This season, life seems better than ever – until a shock announcement at work changes everything. Shaken to their core, Geordie and Will are tested to their limits.
Alibi’s hit historical crime drama, starring Kate Phillips as the titular Miss Eliza Scarlet, a Victorian woman who takes over her father’s detective agency. She joins forces with childhood friend and Scotland Yard detective William Wellington (Stuart Martin) to solve crimes.
Breathtaking
Premieres on ITV1 in early 2024
New Jed Mercurio drama Breathtaking tells the story of the 2020 Covid Pandemic, based on the memoirs of end-of-life doctor Rachel Clarke. Downton Abbey‘s Joanne Froggatt stars as Dr Abbey Henderson, an acute medical consultant fighting the first wave of the virus.
This Town
Premieres on BBC One in Spring 2024
A new drama from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, also set in Birmingham. This Town tells the story of the formation of a band, set against a backdrop of violence and uncertainty.
Trigger Point (Season 2)
Returns to ITV1 in early 2024
The bomb disposal squad drama returns, starring Vicky McClure as Lana Washington, an ex-military bomb disposal operative (aka an ‘Expo’). Lana heads a Metropolitan Police bomb squad who are at the heart of fighting terrorism in this fast-paced drama.
Passenger
Premieres on ITV1 in early 2024
Former Met Police detective Riya Ajunwa (Wunmi Mosaku) is desperate for the case that will turn her career in the small village of Chadder Value around. When a local girl goes missing, Riya gets more than she bargained for.
Under the Banner of Heaven
Premieres on ITVX in early 2024
Based on Jon Krakauer’s bestselling true crime novel, Under the Banner of Heaven explores the murder of Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her baby daughter in Utah in 1984. Andrew Garfield stars as Detective Jeb Pyre, who delves at the heart of the Lafferty family and its mormon values. He’s shocked by what he finds.
Domino Day
Premieres on BBC Three in early 2024
Siena Kelly plays Domino, a young witch who feeds off people she matches with on a dating app. Desperate to escape her past and begin a new life in Manchester, she’s unaware that she too is being hunted.
Joe Cole in Nightsleeper (Credit: BBC/Euston Films/Mark MAinz)
Based on the bestseller by Candice Carty-Williams, Dionne Brown stars as Queenie Jenkins, a 25-year-old woman suffering after a messy break up. It’s not just a bad day or a bad week for Queenie, it’s a bad year. And she’s got to figure out the path to healing.
Industry (Season 3)
Returns to BBC Two in 2024
The high-stakes financial drama returns for a new season. This season, the team at Pierpoint look at ethical investing, as Game of Thrones star Kit Harington joins the cast as the CEO of an exciting new green tech company.
Beyond Paradise (Season 2)
Returns to BBC One in 2024
The spin-off from Death in Paradise, Beyond Paradise‘s first season was a massive hit – becoming the UK’s most-watched drama of the year. Kris Marshall returns as DI Humphrey Goodman, as well as Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd and Zahra Ahmadi as DS Esther Williams.
The drama about three police rookies in Belfast is back. Grace (Siân Brooke), Annie (Katherine Devlin) and Tommy (Nathan Braniff) return as new constables experiencing the testing and dangerous world of first response police officers.
Martin Freeman in season one of The Responder (Credit: BBC/Dancing Ledge)
The Responder (Season 2)
Returns to BBC One in 2024
Martin Freeman returns to the role of night responder Chris, who is struggling to rebuild his life after the events of season one. Elsewhere, Rachel (Adelayo Adedayo) is furious about how Chris has damaged her career.
Mr Loverman
Premieres on BBC One in 2024
Lennie James stars in a new adaptation of the Booker Prize-winning Bernardine Evaristo’s book of the same name. It tells the story of Antiguan-born Barry, a man with a decades-long secret.
The Jetty
Premieres on BBC One in 2024
Jenna Coleman stars in The Jetty, a new four-part thriller coming to BBC One in 2024. She plays Detective Ember Manning, who is trying to figure out a connection between a local fire and a podcast journalist investigating a cold case.
Keeley Hawes in Miss Austen (Credit: BBC/Bonnie Productions/MASTERPIECE/Robert Viglasky)
Miss Austen
Premieres on BBC One in 2024
Keeley Hawes stars as Cassandra Austen, elder sister of the famous writer Jane, in a new acquisition for the BBC from Masterpiece on PBS. The drama, which also stars Rose Leslie, explores the reasons why Cassandra burnt all of Jane’s personal letters following her death.
Showtrial (Season 2)
Returns to BBC One in 2024
The legal anthology series is back, this time around starring BAFTA award-winner Adeel Akhtar, Nathalie Armin and Michael Socha. Season two explores what happens when high-profile climate activist Marcus Calderwood uses his dying moments to identify his killer as a serving policeman. Who is it? And is he telling the truth, or does he have another agenda?
