I Fought the Law
Writer
Jamie Crichton
Starring
Sheridan Smith
Daniel York Loh
Enzo Cilenti
Ron Cook
Rufus Jones
Jack James Ryan
Andrew Lancel
Jake Davies
Marlowe Chan-Reeves
Olivia Ng
Director
Erik Richter Strand
Release Date
31 August 2025
Reviews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "four beautifully written episodes"... "If [Sheridan Smith] doesn’t win an award, it will be a travesty." - The Times
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "grief and anger so intense, it cracks the screen" - Daily Mail
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "no one does this kind of drama better than Sheridan Smith... genuinely moving TV" - The Guardian
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "As a portrait of loss, it is particularly astute" - Financial Times
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "I Fought the Law is magnificent" - Metro
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Sheridan Smith at her best" - The i Paper
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "a powerhouse of a performance from Sheridan Smith, and a clear-eyed, unsensational script from writer Jamie Crichton... this is a frequently devastating yet inspiring drama that does not pull its punches." - Heat
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "It is heartbreaking. It is inspiring. And it is unforgettable." - Where To Watch.tv
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Ann might already have an MBE to her name, but I Fought the Law is the kind of public service broadcasting that should deservedly elevate her to the status of national hero" - Radio Times
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "utterly unmissable" - Digital Spy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "a must-watch" - The Herald
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - The Killing Times
9/10 "a harrowing and essential piece of television, anchored by a titanic performance from Sheridan Smith... This is purposeful, profoundly moving drama that serves as a vital public record of an incredible fight for justice" - Gazettely
"the way it's written ... the way it's directed, the way it's acted, it just feels so authentic and real. It's very, very well judged. I thought it was excellent." - Pilot TV Podcast
"one of the best dramas of this year... it's so well written and so well performed... it's spectacular" - Bingewatch podcast
"ONE OF THE STANDOUT TV DRAMAS OF THIS YEAR" - The Guardian (Mark Lawson)
I Fought the Law is the powerful true story of a mother’s relentless fight for justice following the disappearance of her beloved daughter Julie.
It tells the story of Ann Ming, played by Sheridan Smith, who managed to overturn Britain’s 800-year-old double jeopardy law, which prevented people being from tried twice for the same offence. This groundbreaking campaign led to a historic legal reform and, ultimately, to a life sentence for Julie’s killer nearly two decades after her murder.