Winner
Criminal Justice
BBC1, BBC Drama
This BBC thriller was transmitted across five consecutive nights giving the viewer no let up as an average, clean-nosed, 21-year old lad called Ben Coulter finds himself descending into the maw of the British criminal justice system as he is charged and tried for a murder, it turns out, he didn’t commit. It was written by ex-barrister Peter Moffat (Einstein And Eddington, Hawking) and featured an impressive cast with rising star Ben Wishaw (Perfume, I’m Not There) in the lead, along with Pete Postlethwaite (In The Name Of The Father, Brassed Off), Bill Paterson (Sea Of Souls) David Harewood (Blood Diamond, The Vice), Con O’Neill (Learners) and Lindsay Duncan (Longford). Criminal Justice was directed by Otto Bathurst (Five Days, Hustle) and Luke Watson. The producer was Pier Wilkie (When I’m Sixty-Four, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and executive producer was Hilary Salmon (The Passion, Five Days). It was commissioned by Jane Tranter.
2nd
Dead Set
E4, Zeppotron
Written by Guardian columnist and Screen Burn presenter Charlie Brooker, Dead Set has the UK in the grip of a zombie epidemic, with the only normal people holding out against the tide the contestants locked in the Big Brother house and a few production staff; a truly terrifying prospect. Jaime Winstone, Andy Nyman and Riz Ahmed starred alongside some hilarious cameo perfomances, and a big bucket of blood and gore. Brooker and Annabel Jones were execs. The director was Yann Demange.
3rd
The Devil’s Whore
Channel 4, Company Pictures
Created and written by Martine Brant and Peter Flannery, The Devil’s Whore told the epic story of the English Civil War through the eyes of Angelica Fanshawe, a young aristocratic woman who is drawn to the anti-monarchist cause. The four parter starred Andrea Riseborough as Fanshawe along with The Wire’s Dominic West and John Simm. It was produced by Jake Lushington with executive producers Charlie Pattinson, George Faber, Martine Brant, Peter Flannery and Justin Bodle. It was directed by Marc Munden.
