Here's everything you need to know about the main characters and their real-life counterparts in the ITV show Mr Bates vs. The Post Office.
On Monday, January 1st, 2024, ITV released a brand new dramatisation about a real-life scandal titled, Mr Bates vs. The Post Office. The series focused on the number of Subpostmasters who faced criminal and civil charges because of a faulty new system provided to them by the Post Office which incriminated them as fraudsters who were committing theft. The gripping series has shocked and delighted viewers who want to know more about the real people who appeared in this series.
Where is Paula Vennells now?
Paula Vennells (portrayed by Lia Williams in the series) was the CEO of the Post Office from 2012 to 2019. The show accurately portrayed that under her leadership many wrongly prosecuted employees were victims of a faulty system.
After leaving the Post Office, Paula then became Chair of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust but left in December 2020. She was also an Anglican priest until 2021 when the Subpostmasters convictions were overturned and she stepped back from working at her regular ministry. She announced at the time stating, "I am truly sorry for the suffering caused to the 39 subpostmasters as a result of their convictions which were overturned last week."
In the 2019 New Year's Honours, Paula was awarded with a CBE for services to the Post Office and to charity. Since the scandal erupted there have now been calls for the former CEO to be stripped of her CBE.
Where is Alan Bates now?
Alan Bates (played by Toby Jones) is now retired but is still working to help mend the lives that were affected by this scandal. In an interview with Wales Online, Alan said, "At 68, I would love to be able to take my foot off the pedal. But I will stay involved until everyone from the original group who is entitled to compensation receives the full financial redress they’re eligible for. Once everyone’s received their money, I’ll feel I’ve done my bit."
"With the public inquiry into the scandal not due to report until [2024] it is too soon to declare success. People say this is about getting justice, but it isn't. It's about finding the truth of what happened. Justice will follow, hopefully. But the first aim was to prove we'd been lied to," he added.
Where is Angela van den Bogerd now?
Angela van den Bogerd (played by Katherine Kelly) was a Post Office employee who was central to this scandal. Per the BBC, it was claimed that during her time at the Post Office, she 'bullied' staff into signing documents they had committed fraud. "[She was] demanding that I sign a piece of paper that I had stolen the money," said one of the victims."And if I did not they were going to take my home away. They would take me to court."
In December 2020, the court found that she "obfuscated" and "misled" the court with her testimony. Per the BBC, in court, the Rt Hon Justice Fraser said, "There were two specific matters where [Angela van den Bogerd] did not give me frank evidence, and sought to obfuscate matters and mislead me."
While working at the Post Office for 35 years she had several roles including; Director of Support Services, People & Change Director, and finally Business Improvement Director, which was her role until May 2020 when she left and moved to the Family Housing Association in Wales.
