Written by Jeff Pope, Believe Me is ITV’s latest gripping factual drama and explores the tragic story of the victims and survivors of John Worboys, one of the UK’s most prolific sexual predators and convicted serial rapists.
The focus of the series isn’t on Worboys (played by Daniel Mays) but instead shifts the spotlight onto the women he attacked and impacted, with names of the real-life women being changed in order to protect their anonymity and bring their stories to life.
Based on their true stories and experiences of not being believed by the police and those around them, the likes of Aimée-Ffion Edwards, Aasiya Shah and Miriam Petche lead the cast of this harrowing series.
On meeting the real life ‘Sarah’, Edwards told ITV: “I think having the opportunity to talk to her about normal stuff as well as her experience, it was so important and useful to understand who she was and is. I could get a sense of her spark and her energy and her tenacity and just hearing her talk about the real Frankie [her best friend], and that relationship was so useful and revealing.”
But who else stars in the four-part series? Read on to find out more about the cast of ITV’s Believe Me.
Believe Me cast: Who stars in ITV’s true crime drama?
- Aimée-Ffion Edwards as Sarah
- Aasiya Shah as Laila
- Daniel Mays as John Worboys
- Miriam Petche as Carrie
- Philippa Dunne as Harriet Wistrich
- Rachael Stirling as Phillippa Kaufmann QC
- Jordan Bolger as Connor
- Alexa Davies as PC Ellis
- Laurie Kynaston as Frankie
- Steven Webb as Mike
- Tom Victor as PC Marriott
- Meg Basham as PC Dawn Bolitho
- David Fynn as DS Warrilow
- Liam Garrigan as DI Reid
- Lou Jackson as Tom
- David Elliot as Gavin
Aimée-Ffion Edwards as Sarah
Who is Sarah? After giving birth to her son Jack, single mother Sarah’s invited on her first night back out with her friends in central London. Very tired, her friends put her in the back of the black cab of Worboys, who encourages her to drink some champagne after his fictional casino win. She wakes up the following morning in hospital, adamant that she’s been raped but is subjected to intrusive questioning by police who make the whole process more difficult.
Where have I seen Aimée-Ffion Edwards previously? Edwards is best known for starring in Peaky Blinders, Slow Horses, Dreamland and Curfew. She has also starred in The Revenge Club, War of the Worlds and Keeping Faith.
Aasiya Shah as Laila
Who is Laila? Laila was enjoying a night out with friends until they left early, with Laila having to get home by herself. She gets in the Worboys’s taxi and is shockingly drugged and assaulted, but footage of Worboys’ car is caught on CCTV as he drops her outside her accommodation. Dealing with the resulting police and judicial process, Laila makes the choice not to return to her studies and to not inform her family of her attack.
Where have I seen Aasiya Shah previously? Shah can most recently be seen playing Q in Prime Video’s Bait, but is known for her roles in Raised By Wolves, We Might Regret This and Bloods. She has also had roles in Unforgotten and The Beast Must Die.
Daniel Mays as John Worboys
Who is John Worboys? One of the UK’s most prolific sex attackers and serial rapists, Worboys approached women late at night who were looking for a safe ride home. He used the same story of winning big at the casino to lure them into accepting alcohol, which he laced with sedatives in order to later assault them. As we see in Believe Me, his crimes went undetected for years.
Where have I seen Daniel Mays previously? Mays has starred in a variety of roles over the years but is perhaps best known for his stint in Line of Duty season 3, Des, White Lines, Temple and Code 404. He has also starred in A Thousand Blows, Moonflower Murders, The Long Shadow and Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
Miriam Petche as Carrie
Who is Carrie? While many may know Carrie Johnson as the wife of former prime minister Boris Johnson and a media consultant now, we meet Carrie in Believe Me as a student in 2007. Waiting for the night bus after a night out, she accepts a seemingly kind offer of a ride home from Worboys and after listening to his familiar casino story, reluctantly accepts the vodka he offers and passes out. She’s certain she wasn’t assaulted but later becomes instrumental in encouraging more women to come forward about him.
Where have I seen Miriam Petche previously? Petche’s breakout role came in 2024 when she made her debut in HBO’s Industry. Aside from that, as a child, Petche starred in The Worst Witch.
Philippa Dunne as Harriet Wistrich
Who is Harriet Wistrich? A determined solicitor who joins forces with Sarah, Laila and Phillippa to sue the Metropolitan Police under the Human Rights Act after the police’s treatment of the women when they came forward with allegations of sexual assault.
Where have I seen Philippa Dunne previously? Dunne is best known for her role as Anne in Motherland and its spin-off, Amandaland. She has also starred in The Woman in the Wall, Bodies, Derry Girls and This Is Going to Hurt.
Rachael Stirling as Phillippa Kaufmann QC
Who is Phillippa Kaufmann QC? The QC heading up Sarah and Laila’s suing of the Metropolitan Police, she is instrumental in obtaining crucial evidence for their case and bringing about justice for the women.
Where have I seen Rachael Stirling previously? Stirling has starred in Women in Love, The Bletchley Circle and Detectorists, having also had roles in Life, Hollington Drive and Heartstopper.
Jordan Bolger as Connor
Who is Connor? Sarah’s ex-partner and father of her son Jack, Connor and Sarah still carry a bit of a torch for one another despite not being officially together. That all crumbles though after Sarah’s attack when, having not been believed by the police, Sarah also faces doubt from Connor.
Where have I seen Jordan Bolger previously? Bolger and Edwards reunite in Believe Me having both worked in Peaky Blinders. Bolger has also starred in The 100, This Town and The Book of Boba Fett.
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Believe Me will air on ITV from 10 May with all four episodes available to stream on ITVX.
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