The Long Shadow creator explains why show changed "disrespectful" title
George Kay opened up on the title change at a recent Q&A for the ITV drama.
Upcoming ITV series The Long Shadow dramatises the five-year hunt for serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, who was convicted of murdering 13 women and attempting to murder seven others, and was dubbed by press reports at the time as The Yorkshire Ripper.
The show was originally to be titled The Yorkshire Ripper in reference to this fact, but in a recent Q&A for the show, writer George Kay explained the crucial reason that the change was made.
He explained: "Well, we started by calling it The Yorkshire Ripper when we announced it.
"And we had a very respectful approach as a team throughout, but even at the beginning we hadn't learned, which we did over the time of making the show, that that moniker, that name that people use to describe Peter Sutcliffe, which obviously began before anyone knew his real name but then continued after people knew his real name, was disrespectful in many ways.
"Especially to the victims' families, who certainly don't like that name being applied to Peter Sutcliffe, because it creates a sort of dark brand around a man who doesn't deserve that sort of attention, and especially not that verb."
Kay continued: "So, that was one of our lessons. We've been really good, I think, about being flexible and trying to learn and change and understand their stories and their opinions.
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"And so, because of that, the title changed from The Yorkshire Ripper - it was a working title, but that's what it was intended to be at the time - to The Long Shadow, which is more in tune with the story we're trying to tell, the broader story that we're trying to tell.
"Not just about the crimes and the investigation, which are really important, but the effects of the crimes and the effects that continue long after Peter Sutcliffe himself was arrested and the legacy of that."
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A trailer for the series was released earlier this month, giving a look at the show's cast, which includes Toby Jones, David Morrissey, Lee Ingleby, Katherine Kelly, Daniel Mays and Jill Halfpenny, among others.
The drama will be made up of seven episodes, all of which were written by Kay, who is also known for his work on Lupin, Hijack, Criminal and Litvinenko.
The Long Shadow will air on ITV1 and ITVX in September 2023. 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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Authors
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.
