Cherished (film): Difference between revisions

| image_size = 250px250

| caption = <small>Timothy Spall and Sarah Lancashire as Terry and Angela Cannings</small>

| show_name_2alt_name = =

| country = [[United Kingdom]]

| language = [[English language|English]]

| runtime = 90 minutes<ref name=indep>{{Cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/bbc-to-film-story-of-angela-cannings-555161.html|title=BBC to film story of Angela Cannings|lastlast1=Barnes|firstfirst1=Anthony|last2=Bloomfield|first2=Steve|date=2004-08-01|website=|publisherwork=[[The Independent]]|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref>

| audio_formatrelated = [[Stereo]]

'''''Cherished''''' is a single [[United Kingdom|British]] [[true crime]] drama, written by acclaimed screenwriter [[Gwyneth Hughes]], that first broadcast on [[BBC One]] on 22 February 2005.<ref name=indep /> Starring [[Sarah Lancashire]] as protagonist [[Angela Cannings]], the drama is based on Cannings' wrongful conviction for the deaths of two of her infant children, Jason and Matthew. Directed by [[Robin Sheppard]], the drama also stars [[Timothy Spall]] as Angela's husband Terry, [[Emma Cunniffe]] as Angela's sister Claire; and [[Ian McNeice]] as her defence barrister; [[Bill Bache]].<ref>{{cite journal|pmc=549674 | page=484 | volume=330 | issue=7489 | journal=BMJ | title=Cherished | year=2005 | doi=10.1136/bmj.330.7489.484| last1=Dyer | first1=Clare }}</ref> The drama was a joint production between the [[BBC]]'s drama and current affairs wings.<ref name="indep"/> 5.18 million viewers tuned in for the initial broadcast.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-30/|title=Weekly top 30 programmes {{!}} BARB|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> Similarly to other true-life BBC productions of the time; ''Cherished'' has never been released on DVD.

Cannings herself said of the production; "We're still suffering the aftermath of this whole episode. This film is for Jade, so when she is older she can see what it was all about. The general public would assume that we've got back together and that's it. But there is an awful lot of healing. It doesn't just heal overnight. Even now I sit and think why we had to go through all that. We've had quite a lot to do with the scriptwriter, the [[BBC]] has been very good. They've dealt with us very fairly." [[Sarah Lancashire]] said of playing the part of Cannings; "I'm delighted to be playing the part of Angela. When I read the script I was very moved. The loss of any child is a dreadful thing, the loss of three is unimaginable. Whilst any parent could relate to the anguish that Terry and Angela must have felt I cannot comprehend the strength it must have taken to sustain Angela through even a part of a life sentence. Theirs is a remarkable story."<ref>{{Cite web|url=httphttps://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/cherished/|title=BBC - Drama - Cherished|website=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref>

The case is taken to court, and Angela is represented by defence lawyer [[Bill Bache]] ([[Ian McNeice]]), who is convinced that the jury cannot possibly find her guilty due to a lack of corroborative evidence and eyewitness testimony. Despite this, Angela is found guilty on two counts of murder (the other count, of Gemma's murder, is dropped before the trial begins). Angela goes to prison and faces daily abuse from her fellow inmates, who label her a 'nonce' and a 'baby killer'. Whilst in prison, a woman claiming to be Angela's half-sister comes forward, and through dogged detective work, Bache and his team of colleagues uncover a genetic history of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Angela's extended family. Coupled with the recent acquittal of [[Sally Clark]], who was tried and found guilty of the murder of her two children based on statistical evidence provided by Sir Roy Meadow ([[Ronald Pickup]]), who also provided evidence in Angela's trial, Bache launches an appeal. On appeal, Angela's conviction is quashed and she is released from prison. Subsequently, an epilogue reveals that Angela's trial allowed for a change in the law which states that no single defendant can be found guilty in a criminal trial purely on the basis of evidence submitted by experts. Roy Meadow is also revealed to have been struck off by the [[General Medical Council]].

* [[Ian McNeice]] as [[Bill Bache]]