I Fought the Law, Sheridan Smith’s new ITV drama, lives up to its hard-hitting, no-nonsense title as it charts the real-life struggle of a woman who took on the law of the land – from judges and barristers, right the way to the Home Secretary – and won.
Is I Fought the Law based on a true story?
The four-part drama follows the trials and tribulations of Ann Ming, a former nurse and fearless mother who embarked on a 15-year legal battle since 1989 to bring her daughter’s murderer to justice. Ming is pitted against the centuries-old ‘double jeopardy’ law that prevents an accused person from being tried twice for the same crime.
While the killer of Ming’s daughter finally admitted to his guilt and received his due sentence, the double jeopardy law is still operational after more than 800 years.
Where is Ann Ming right now?
Ming is now 80 and has stopped campaigning against the law due to her age. Giving I Fought the Law her blessing and serving as a consultant on the series, Ming says: ‘I’m living a full life sentence, it’s the same for anyone whose loved one has been murdered, you’re forever haunted by what happened. The one thing I love is doing my line dancing, and I still go.’
The family’s fight against this aspect of the parole system continues. Her late daughter Julie’s son Kevin, 39, is still helping the families of other victims.
Where was I Fought the Law filmed?
To honour I Fought the Law’s heroine and to stick as closely as possible the facts of the case, the series creators made it a point to film the series in North East England where the real story unfolded.
Here are all the locations used to recreate Ming’s tireless quest for justice.
Newcastle
The production was mostly based in and around the city of Newcastle. ‘Very few dramas are filmed there, so we found a lot of really great locations and interiors,’ explains executive producer Lisa Marshall.
While the dialogue-led scenes of a courtroom drama required plenty of claustrophobic interiors, director Erik Richter Strand also made it a point to go beyond small rooms and let the surrounding landscape breathe a little. So, expect to catch glimpses of local coastlines and industrial hotspots of Newcastle, along with the peaty brown waters of the Tyne.
While filming in 2024, extras were spotted near Newcastle Quayside and historic local pub Crown Posada. The latter establishment was built in 1880 and is a well-known haunt for thirsty Geordies.
County Durham
As Ming has been a longtime resident of Billingham in County Durham, I Fought the Law was also filmed in this north east county. In particular, the crew camped at various spots at Teesside, the urban area around the river Tees, along which lie several towns like Billingham, Middlesbrough and Redcar. Middlesbrough Town Hall was used for the courtroom sequences.
Plenty of the show’s crew were locals who were well-versed in Ming’s story and the long-running case. ’It was a real point of pride for a lot of them to be taking part in something that highlighted the area,’ says executive producer Charlotte Webber, ‘and told the story of an amazing Teesside woman too’.
Hartlepool
A disused police station in Hartlepool came in handy for the production crew, fitting the late ’80s and early ’90s style that I Fought the Law was going for. It made sense to film in Hartlepool, as it is another city on Teesside, just a short drive away from other filming locations like Billingham and Middlesbrough.
Saltburn Pier
A few miles away from Hartlepool lies Saltburn Pier, the first ever pier built in North East England. This historic landmark also makes an appearance in the series, serving as the setting for an emotional exchange between Ann and Charlie Ming. To maintain factual accuracy, even the newspaper stand on the pier runs actual headlines from Julie’s tragic murder.
Who stars in I Fought the Law?
Sheridan Smith stars in I Fought the Law as Ann Ming. The BAFTA and Olivier winner’s portfolio includes TV dramas like Mrs Biggs and The Moorside, along with films like The Huntsman: Winter’s War and the Dustin Hoffman-directed Quartet.
Other cast members include Daniel York Loh (The Beach, Doom) as Ann’s husband Charlie, Enzo Cilenti (Bridget Jones’s Baby, The Beekeeper) as a police Detective Sergeant on the case, Victoria Wyant (My Fault: London, Foundation) as Ann’s daughter Julia Hogg, and Jack James Ryan (Coronation Street) as Julia’s killer Billy Dunlop.
Where can I watch I Fought the Law?
I Fought the Law is on ITV1 and ITVX from 9pm, Sunday August 31.
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