ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office took the UK by storm when it launched in January of this year, bringing much-needed attention to the long-gestating scandal affecting wrongly accused subpostmasters.
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Katherine Kelly was one of the familiar faces to feature in the cast of the drama series, portraying businesswoman Angela van den Bogerd, who was a senior figure at the organisation during the events depicted.
It proved to be one of the actor's less sympathetic roles, having risen to fame as key protagonists in Coronation Street and Mr Selfridge.
As is depicted in the series, hundreds of subpostmasters were wrongly accused of fraud or theft over many years, but the strange losses in their stores were actually caused by a technological fault with the company's accounting system.
Mr Bates vs the Post Office premieres in the United States this week, bringing this shocking story to the attention of yet more people as an acceptable settlement continues to be fought for.
If you're interested to learn more about van den Bogerd and what ultimately happened to her, read on for everything you need to know about the real-life figure depicted in Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Who is Angela van den Bogerd?
Katherine Kelly as Angela in Mr Bates vs The Post Office. ITV/ITV Studios
Angela van den Bogerd is a businesswoman who was a central figure at the hearings surrounding the Post Office scandal, due to her various roles at the organisation over 33 years.
At one time, she was its head of partnerships, before being appointed as the organisation's business improvement director in 2018.
The judge in court hearings, Rt Hon Justice Fraser, criticised the testimony Van den Bogerd gave during said hearings, saying that she "did not give me frank evidence, and sought to obfuscate matters, and mislead me".
What is Angela van den Bogerd doing now?
Van den Bogerd left her job with the Post Office in 2020, before being appointed later that year by the Football Association of Wales as its head of people.
Who plays Angela van den Bogerd in Mr Bates vs The Post Office?
Katherine Kelly. ITV/ITV Studios
Angela van den Bogerd is played by Katherine Kelly in Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Kelly has previously had roles in series including Mr Selfridge, Happy Valley, The Night Manager, Class, Strike Back, Murdertown, Gentleman Jack, Criminal UK, Liar and The Long Shadow, while she is perhaps still best-known for having played Becky in Coronation Street.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office is available to stream in full on ITVX. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
