Telly chiefs have been banned from filming a new drama about the Yorkshire Ripper in a city still haunted by the monster’s legacy.
Council chiefs in Bradford say makers of ITV’s The Long Shadow cannot use its public areas, like parks and streets.
One said they “did not want to perpetuate” the memory of Peter Sutcliffe, who murdered 13 women in the 1970s.
Three were killed in the West Yorkshire city – Patricia Atkinson in 1977, Yvonne Pearson, 1978, and Barbara Leach in 1979. Two others survived attacks there.
Line of Duty’s Mark Stobbart has been cast as Sutcliffe in the six-part series, to air later this year or early 2023.
Ex-Corrie actress Katherine Kelly will play victim Emily Jackson while Daniel Mays, Stephen Tompkinson and David Morrissey also have roles.
An email from New Pictures said: “We understand the subject remains hugely sensitive, even now, especially for those who remember and endured the fear Sutcliffe’s crimes rained over Yorkshire. That said, the story we are telling is one mostly neglected by previous media releases – that of the victims themselves.
“The content of the series is neither graphic, gratuitous, nor does it exploit the horrific nature of Sutcliffe’s crimes.”
The firm is working with families of victims and emails reveal they thought it “needed to be told in West Yorkshire”.
But an email thought to be from Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “I’m not keen on us participating in anything that perpetuates the memory of the man, so the answer’s no from me.” New Pictures also offered to work with local charities but a final email signed “Susan” said: “I said no quite clearly I think?”
A house being used as Sutcliffe’s home is in the Roundhay area of Leeds, 15 miles from where his Bradford home was.
Filming has taken place on private land in Bradford with a factory doubling as Millgarth Police Station in Leeds.
Sutcliffe was convicted in 1981 and died in prison aged 74 in 2020.
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