法律之外

DanielMays(LineOfDuty,RogueOne:AStarWarsStory,PublicEnemies)starsinBBCTwospowerfulfactualdramaasPeterWildeblood,athoughtfulandprivategayjournalistwhoseloverEddieMcNally(playedbynewcomertotelevision,RichardGadd),underpressurefromtheauthorities,turnedQueensevidenceagainsthiminoneofthemostexplosivecourtcasesofthe1950s-theinfamousMontaguTrial.Morethantenyearsbeforethedecriminalisationofhomosexualactsin1967,PeterWildeblood,andhisfriendsLordMontagu(MarkEdel-Hunt)andMichaelPitt-Rivers,werefoundguiltyofhomosexualoffencesandjailed.Withhiscareerintattersandhisprivatelifepainfullyexposed,Wildebloodbeganhissentenceabrokenman,butheemergedfromWormwoodScrubsayearlaterdeterminedtodoallhecouldtochangethewaythesedraconianlawsagainsthomosexualityimpactedonthelivesofmenlikehim.Danielsays:「Imincrediblyproudtobepartofadramathattellssuchanimportantreal-lifestory.PeterWildebloodisafascinating,complex,yetflawedcharacterfromatimewhenbeingagaymaninBritainwasincrediblydifficult-IcantwaittobringhistaletolifefortheBBCTwoaudience.」PatrickHolland,ChannelEditor,BBCTwo,said:「50yearsago,itwasacrimetobeagaymanintheUK.AgainstTheLawisastunningpiecethatmeldsdramaanddocumentarytestimonytotellthestoryofoneman,andhiswidergeneration,astheystruggledtomakesocietyaccepttheirsexualityasnon-criminal.ItisbrillianttohaveafilmthatbringstheauthorshipofBrianFillis,thevisionofdirectorFergusOBrien,andtheoutstandingtalentofDanielMaysandcasttothisimportantsubject」ThedramaalsofeaturesMarkGatiss(Taboo,Sherlock)asWildebloodsprisonpsychiatrist,DoctorLandersandCharlieCreed-Miles(RipperStreet,PeakyBlinders)asSuperintendentJones.Woventhroughthispowerfuldramaisreal-lifetestimonyfromachorusofmenwholivedthroughthosedarkdays,whenhomosexualswereroutinelyimprisonedorforcedtoundergochemicalaversiontherapyinanattempttocurethemoftheircondition.Thereisalsotestimonyfromaretiredpoliceofficerwhosejobitwastoenforcetheselaws,andaformerpsychiatricnursewhoadministeredtheso-calledcures.Alloftheseaccountsservetoamplifythethemesofthedramaandhelptoimmerseusintherealityofadarkchapterinourrecentpast,apaststillwithinthereachoflivingmemory.