The BBC is facing a furious backlash after hiring a man to write a forthcoming drama about the murder of Sarah Everard.
Acclaimed screenwriter Jeff Pope has been commissioned to pen the two-part factual series about Ms Everard’s abduction, rape and murder by serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens in South London in 2021.
The open letter, which gathered 400 signatures from leading female screenwriters in 24 hours, said the decision had prompted a ‘great deal of anger’ among female writers and that they were ‘genuinely shocked’ by the commission.
It read: ‘The announcement of this particular commission brought a great deal of anger to the surface among women writers – anger that has been building for some time. Sarah Everard was killed because she was a woman.
‘The case did not simply expose the actions of one individual. It cracked open a national conversation about systemic misogyny, about the safety of women in public spaces, about institutional failure and the silencing of women within structures meant to protect them.
‘That conversation is not over. Given all that, we are genuinely shocked that the BBC has commissioned a man to write it.’
The writers added: ‘We are not saying men cannot write about women’s experiences. But we are saying that in a case this specific, this raw, and this rooted in the dynamics of power and gender, the question of who tells the story is inseparable from the story itself.’
Critics of the letter have pointed out that it is complex issue and that the best people should be given jobs.
The BBC is facing a furious backlash after hiring a man to write a forthcoming drama about the murder of Sarah Everard (pictured)
She was abducted, raped and murdered by serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens (pictured) in South London in 2021
Acclaimed screenwriter Jeff Pope (pictured) has been commissioned to pen the two-part factual series
Mr Pope previously penned Believe Me – ITV’s series about black cab rapist John Worboys, who drugged and assaulted women in the back of his taxi – which was screened earlier this month.
However, the female screenwriters did not complain about that, prompting television insiders to question whether these women have a vendetta against the BBC.
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Her death sparked national outrage and mass protests over women’s safety, policing and institutional misogyny.
Defending his involvement in a statement to Sky News, Pope said: ‘With all the factual dramas I make, my first and last responsibility is to the individuals impacted and their families and friends.
‘I approach every subject with sensitivity, respect, and meticulous research. Ultimately, I’m accountable to the people closest to these stories. I would hope that their feelings are respected in this matter.’
The open letter was revealed by Sky and it is understood that it was intended to remain private.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘The BBC Drama Commissioning team has met with representatives from the group to discuss the issues raised about opportunities for women screenwriters and we are fully committed to working together to create meaningful change across the industry. It is disappointing that a letter which was shared in confidence, out of respect to the Everard family, has been made public in this way.
‘We take the responsibility and trust involved in making factual drama extremely seriously, and the focus of this drama is to raise important questions about the failings from within the Met Police which led up to Sarah Everard’s horrific murder. Written by BAFTA-winning Jeff Pope and produced by Etta Pictures and BAFTA-winning Kirsty Cunningham, who also worked on the BBC documentary, it will be made with the utmost care, sensitivity and respect.
‘The issue of representation and diversity in this industry goes beyond looking at an individual commission in isolation, which will always have its own unique context and complexities. The industry as a whole has more progress to make. The BBC Charter asks us to reflect the diversity of the whole of the UK and serve all audiences and supporting women writers and the next generation of writing talent is something we care deeply about. We are proud to be working with so many brilliant women writers whose work on the BBC spans many genres.’
