Believe Me on ITV: Daniel Mays admits script 'terrified' him as he’s pictured as Black Cab Rapist John Worboys for first time
The drama is based on shocking true crime eventsBelieve Me is a chilling yet emotional true crime drama coming to ITV based on Black Cab Rapist John Worboys and the ordeal of three of his victims – and here’s a first look at Daniel Mays as the serial predator.
Sat in the driver’s seat of his taxi, Daniel is looking menacing as he stares straight ahead during a dark and gloomy night.
Wearing a dark red jacket and pinstriped shirt, the actor looks terrifying as he portrays Worboys.
Daniel, who has a teenage daughter, has now admitted that taking on the role of the real life rapist really troubled him.
He said: “I actually underestimated how much it was going to affect me.
“I’ve been a professional actor for 26 years, so I’ve done a lot of true crime and played a lot of wrong ‘uns. When I got these scripts, it absolutely terrified me, because I’m a father myself.
“My head immediately went to my 13-year-old daughter Dixie. She’s venturing out, going on trains, and before long, no doubt she’ll be in the back of a taxi.
“So as a father, I found it an incredibly disturbing and terrifying read.”
Don't miss a single story! Add us as a Preferred Source in Google for all your television news
Believe Me first look
The new picture of Daniel comes after ITV released several other stills of the actresses who play three of Worboys’ victims.
Strapped in the back of his taxi, Sarah – played by Welsh actress Aimée-Ffion Edwards – is unaware of the horror that is just moments away.
Another of Worboys’ victims, Laila – portrayed by Aasiya Shah – is also captured while on the phone. She’s presumably calling a cab.
Miriam Petche plays Carrie, who Worboys also raped. Her character is captured while bravely looking at images on a police detective’s computer following her horrendous ordeal.
Taxi driver Worboys was free to commit a string of horrific sexual assaults after the Metropolitan Police failed to thoroughly investigate three of his victims’ allegations. The ladies had to fight against all odds to have their voices and cases heard in court.
Here’s everything you need to know about Believe Me coming soon to ITV, including start date, plot and who stars in it.
What is the plot in Believe Me on ITV?
Believe Me follows the true life story of three victims of prolific rapist John Worboys, aka the Black Cab Rapist.
In the early 2000s, Warboys was working as a London taxi driver. In a horrific spree of abuse, he attacked scores of victims after pretending he had just won the lottery or a big prize in the casino.
He would hand his female passengers a glass of champagne laced with drugs, asking them to ‘celebrate’ with him, and rape and assault them when they fell unconscious. Police fear that Worboys has hundreds of victims.
Believe Me will tell the story of Warboys and three of these victims. It will show the “de-humanising” ordeal the women endured after reporting their crimes to the Metropolitan Police. They all felt that people did not believe their accounts. As a result, Worboys was able to continue raping women, undetected for years.
There is an inspirational tale among the horror. Two of Warboys’ victims bravely went on to sue the Metropolitan Police for their treatment under the Human Rights Act.
Believe Me screenwriter Jeff Pope, who was behind true crime TV dramas Hatton Garden, Little Boy Blue and Mrs Biggs, says: “The series goes on an emotional journey with the victims of Worboys’ attacks, showing what happened to them when they reported being raped and assaulted, the pain and indignity of the process and how this de-humanised them.
“But most shocking of all is how they felt that not being believed by the police and having the attacks recorded, essentially, as non-crimes, was as traumatising for them as the actual assaults.”
Worboys was eventually jailed for his horrific crimes in 2009.
Who is in the cast of the true crime drama?
Aimée-Ffion Edwards plays one of Worboys’ victims in Believe Me. The Welsh actress, 37, broke into television as Sketch in Channel 4 teen drama Skins. These days, she’s best known for her role as Esme Shelby in BBC period crime drama Peaky Blinders, and as Shirley Dander in Apple TV+’s Slow Horses.
Miriam Petche, 24, also stars in the cast as one of Worboys’ victims. The young actress has already achieved success with her portrayal of Sweetpea Golightly in Prime Video’s Industry. Miriam’s career started with a long-standing role in Netflix’s children’s series The Worst Witch.
Raised by Wolves star Aasiya Shah, 27, plays the third victim of Black Cab Rapist Warboys. Aasiya played Holly in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi series. She also starred alongside Motherland’s Lucy Punch and Absolutely Fabulous’ Jane Horrocks in BAFTA nominated series Bloods. Assiya had a small role Unforgotten in 2015.
Award-winning actor Daniel May will play Black Cab Rapist John Worboys. Daniel, 47, has a huge list of film and television credits to his name, and you’ll instantly recognise him. Daniel has starred in movies including Pearl Harbour, Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. and Made in Dagenham.
In 2012, Daniel starred opposite Sheridan Smith in ITV’s Mrs Biggs. He played real life robber Ronnie Biggs in the drama series. Daniel has also appeared in EastEnders, Line of Duty, Magpie Murders and Ashes to Ashes. This year, Daniel starred in the Disney+ true life mini-series Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
When’s the start date? How can I watch it?
ITV has confirmed that Believe Me is “coming soon”. It will also be available to stream on ITVX when it starts.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for it to land on screens.
How many episodes in Believe Me on ITV?
Believe Me will be four episodes, each believed to be 60 minutes long.
It is not yet know whether it will drop on ITVX as a boxset or if it will air on ITV across four nights.
Real life survivor Sarah, whose identity has been protected, has now spoken about the drama.
She said: “Believe Me is about the courage of every woman who came forward to help put John Worboys behind bars.
“What happened to me changed my life, but in many ways the hardest part was not being believed for so many years. Without the people who stood by me, Worboys would have been freed and continued to pose a huge risk to women.
“Seeking justice shouldn’t mean more trauma. We shouldn’t have to fight to be believed or feel like we’re the ones on trial. The shame never belongs to the survivor.”
