Cherished

Heart-rending script made credible by superb performances by both Timothy Spall and Sarah Lancashire. There's always great depth to the characterisations on screen by Spall. I felt so angry at the situation-OE the way that the family had to suffer twice over after the tragic loss of their children and then by the way that so called"experts" are allowed to have so much power.Hopefully, this drama will bring it home to people the injustices of the existing system which leaves many having to prove their innocence. The drama also showed how much the family, in this case particularly the husband of the accused, had to suffer as well. A tremendous , tremendous performance.

Whilst I am not one to do a disservice to Angela Cannings and respect that she has had a terrible experience, I was rather inclined to agree with the 'Guardian' journalist who questioned the need for this reconstruction of her story.

Tracing the long process from the third cot death of her third child in 1999 through her arrest, imprisonment and to her release on appeal in October 2003, we see Cannings' story as one of 'a woman wronged' and it is hard not to feel something rather exploitative is being played out, although I appreciate it was done with the full cooperation of Cannings and her family.

Sarah Lancashire and Timothy Spall are as excellent as ever, and Spall handles the devoted husband's descent into despair and alcoholism well, but I didn't come away from this feeling particularly informed, which I imagine was the main point.

And on a small point, I was pleased to see the brilliant Marion Bailey in a small role, carrying on from her tour de force in Mike Leigh's 'All Or Nothing'.