Sheridan Smith was a “shaking mess” after working on an upcoming ITV drama called I Fought The Law. The 44-year-old actress is a familiar face on our TV screens, starring in hit sitcoms including The Royle Family and Gavin and Stacey. She is also starring in a new “high energy” crime story set in Liverpool, called The Cage.
In ITV’s tragic new drama, I Fought The Law, Sheridan portrays Ann Ming. It tells the tale of a mum who, driven by unimaginable grief, finds strength to challenge the centuries-old Double Jeopardy Law to see her daughter’s murderer finally brought to justice after a 15-year battle.
Smith said that the role took a deep emotional toll on her. Speaking to the media at a screening for the programme, she shared: “I was trying to embody Ann and feel the trauma for real but I can only imagine and think of my child. It was emotionally taxing for nine weeks and by the end of it I was a mess, I was a shaking mess.”
Sheridan has forged a close bond with Ann and explained that she was desperate to do her story justice with her performance in the drama. The Cilla actress said: “I get mad at myself if I don’t feel the actual pain or trauma.
“I constantly had Ann in my ears, like I could hear her talking and stuff. I just wanted to make her proud and give her story the justice it deserves. I kept thinking about Ann, I kept watching her and thinking about how she must have felt. It was important to me.”
Sheridan explained that the fact that she would be going home to her son Billy, five, – who she has with her former partner Jamie Horn – kept her going during gruelling days of filming heavy scenes.
She said: “The difference for me is that I get to home to my son. What I kept thinking was, ‘This is nine weeks, I’m not living like Ann, I’m here to act it.’
“Just knowing that I was doing it, not only for Ann, but knowing I would be getting home to my son and it wasn’t real, that kept me going. Now I’m finding new ways, yoga and meditation.”
Produced by Hera Pictures, the four-part series is written by Jamie Crichton (All Creatures Great and Small, The Last Kingdom, Grantchester) and is based on Ann Ming’s book ‘For The Love of Julie’.
Sheridan said she was unaware of Ann’s story when approached about the show but was “honoured” to take on the part. The Gavin and Stacey actress said: “When I got the script, I didn’t know Ann’s story so I got online and Googled and watched all the documentaries, read her book For The Love of Julie.
“I just thought, ‘How has this story not been told? With Jamie (Crichton’s) incredible script and the team on board, I was just really honoured. And Ann okayed me to play her.”
The drama follows the tragic, moving, and inspiring journey of the Ming family after the murder of their 22-year-old daughter, Julie. In the wake of multiple police failings, Ann relentlessly pressures the authorities to uncover the truth and ensure the man responsible is brought to justice – despite initially seeming he will get away with murder.