Is the BBC's Unforgivable based on a true story? Events that inspired "shocking" drama explained

Cosmopolitan

24-07-2025

Unforgivable is the BBC's latest drama looking at the devastating effect of child abuse within a family.
Starting on Thursday 24th July, the one of show follows Joe (played by Bobby Schofield), who having served his prison sentence arrives at St Maura's, an institution for rehabilitation. Here, he meets an ex nun named Katherine (Anna Maxwell Martin) who supports him as he goes through therapy, with the hope of understanding what led him to abuse his nephew.
Meanwhile, his sister, Anna (Anna Friel), is dealing with the enormous impact that Joe's crime has had on her family - her sons, Tom (Austin Haynes) and Peter (Fin McParland), and her father, Brian (David Threlfall).
The events are truly shocking, and has led many to question whether it's is based on a true story.
Here's everything you need to know.
While Unforgivable isn't based on one particular true story, the show was inspired by real events.
Ahead of the new drama, screenwriter Jimmy McGovern revealed how he received a letter from a woman who works with people who've committed sexual crimes and felt "compelled" to tell this story.
He said: "I received a letter from a woman who works with sex offenders and wanted to speak to me. She spoke no holds barred about her job and working with sex abusers. She told me certain facts and figures that are quite unbelievable, so I want people to watch the film and learn things about child abuse. I felt compelled to write about it."
McGovern previously explored this topic in TV shows Priest and Broken.
On why he decided to explore this further in Unforgivable, the writer continued: "I've always been quick to condemn child abusers, as we all are and as we all should be. This is not a film that goes easy on child abusers at all. I wanted the audience to hear a few of the things I'd learned. I think we should be ultra cautious whenever we're dealing with abusers. I'm a father and a grandfather, I would find it very hard to forgive somebody who had done that to me or my family."
On what he hopes viewers will take away from Unforgivable, McGovern added: "If they watch it, they will learn things. Even though we're talking about child abusers, I think I still think there's a need for compassion. Caution, yes, punishment, yes, justice, yes. These are enormous crimes, they must be punished, you must go to prison. But alongside all that, an element of compassion. To understand a bit more and equally condemn."
Unforgivable starts on BBC Two on Thursday 24th July at 9pm.