We’ve rounded up the best true story dramas that are impossible to tear yourself away from. From jaw-dropping legal battles and unbelievable heists to real-life survival stories and extraordinary personal journeys, these UK-based series and films based on true events will have you laughing, crying, gasping, and watch all in one sitting.
Whether you’re into gripping true crime dramas, inspiring stories, or shocking historical events, this list has something for everyone!
The Salisbury Poisonings
Watch on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅100%
Freely truth rating: 10/10
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When former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a Salisbury bench in 2018, nobody realised they were witnessing the beginning of one of the biggest international incidents in modern British history. Rather than focusing on politics, The Salisbury Poisonings tells the extraordinary story of the local people, healthcare workers, police officers and public health officials who suddenly found themselves at the centre of a nerve agent attack.
Starring Anne-Marie Duff, Rafe Spall and MyAnna Buring, this gripping BBC drama transforms an event that dominated global headlines into a deeply human story about resilience, community and courage.
How true is The Salisbury Poisonings?
Honestly? This is about as accurate as TV dramas get.
The series was developed using extensive interviews with the real people involved and focuses heavily on documented events, timelines and first-hand accounts. Writers Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn, both former investigative journalists, worked closely with those at the centre of the crisis to ensure the drama reflected what happened.
The attack itself, the emergency response, the huge decontamination operation, DS Nick Bailey's exposure to the nerve agent, and the tragic death of Dawn Sturgess all happened in real life. While some conversations are recreated and certain timelines are slightly condensed for television, the BBC drama remains remarkably faithful to the events that unfolded in Salisbury and Amesbury during 2018. In fact, several of the writers have said the real story was often so unbelievable they worried viewers wouldn't think it was true.
Litvinenko
Available on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅88%
Freely truth rating: 9/10
Before the Salisbury poisonings shocked Britain, there was another poisoning case that made headlines around the world. Litvinenko tells the story of former Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 in London in 2006.
Starring David Tennant in one of his most acclaimed dramatic performances, the four-part ITV series follows Litvinenko's final days and the decade-long quest by detectives and his wife Marina to uncover the truth. Equal parts political thriller and true crime drama, it's utterly absorbing television.
How true is Litvinenko?
Litvinenko is very accruate. The poisoning, police investigation, public inquiry and long campaign for justice are all based on real events that unfolded over more than a decade. Many of the key figures portrayed in the series, including investigators and Litvinenko's widow Marina, were directly involved in the production and acted as consultants.
Dirty Business
Stream on Channel 4
Freely truth rating: 9/10
If you enjoyed Mr Bates vs The Post Office then Channel 4s latest docu-drama Dirty Business is a show you will not want to miss. Diving deep into the murky world of the sewage industry, this show introduces us to two neighbours who team together to discover why their local river in Oxfordshire has gone completely brown. What starts as a few simple questions to Thames Water, ends up as a decades long investigation into illegal intreated sewage that even resulted in a fatality. Starring David Thewlis, Jason Watkins and Charlotte Ritchie.
How true is Dirty Business?
Dirty Business is very true to the to real events. Many of the investigations, discoveries, and concerning sewage leaks portrayed in the series are drawn directly from public records, whistle-blower reports, and documented environmental cases. The main storyline – including the neighbours’ quest for answers, their clashes with Thames Water, and the shocking long-term cover-ups – is rooted firmly in reality.
Like most dramas, some characters and conversations have been recreated for storytelling purposes, but the central issues and events are very much based in reality.
But if anything, the truth is even murkier than the drama!
Little Boy Blue
Watch on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅100%
Freely truth rating: 9/10
Few dramas are as heart-breaking as Little Boy Blue. Written by true-crime specialist Jeff Pope, the series tells the devastating story of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, who was shot and killed while walking home from football practice in Liverpool in 2007.
Starring Stephen Graham, the four-part drama follows both Rhys's family and the detectives tasked with bringing his killer to justice. Emotional, powerful and impossible to forget, it's one of ITV's finest true-crime dramas.
How true is Little Boy Blue?
Little Boy Blue is based directly on the murder of Rhys Jones and the investigation that followed. The major events, evidence, arrests and eventual conviction of Rhys's killer are all drawn from the real police operation and court proceedings.
Jeff Pope worked closely with Rhys's family while developing the drama, helping ensure that their experiences remained at the heart of the story. While some private moments have naturally been recreated, it is widely regarded as one of the most authentic true-crime dramas ITV has produced.
Believe Me
Stream on ITVX and STV Player
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅100%
Freely truth rating: 9/10
Written by acclaimed screenwriter Jeff Pope, this powerful four-part drama tells the story of the women who survived attacks by notorious serial rapist John Worboys.. Rather than focusing on the crimes themselves, the series shines a spotlight on the survivors and their extraordinary fight for justice after repeated police failures allowed Worboys to remain free for years. Starring Aimée-Ffion Edwards, Aasiya Shah, Miriam Petche and Daniel Mays, Believe Me is as infuriating as it is compelling.
How true is Believe Me?
Believe Me closely follows the real legal battles fought by survivors of John Worboys and the failings that allowed him to continue offending. Many of the major events, court proceedings, and outcomes are drawn directly from publicly documented cases.
To protect privacy, some names and personal details were altered, but the story remains highly faithful to what happened.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office
Stream now on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅95%
Freely truth rating: 9/10
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or completely off the Wi-Fi grid), you must have heard whispers of the jaw-dropping Post Office scandal… right? Well, buckle up, because this shocking drama plunges headfirst into one of the most extraordinary miscarriages of justice in British legal history!
Mr Bates vs The Post Office chronicles the ongoing scandal in which hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongly accused, prosecuted, and financially ruined, all thanks to the infamous Horizon IT system. By the final episode, you’ll be cheering for justice, gasping at the ridiculousness of it all, and maybe even questioning how something so catastrophic could ever happen in the first place. Starring Toby Jones, Will Mellor, Katherine Kelly and Shaun Dooley, it's a must-watch UK legal drama!
How true is Mr Bates vs The Post Office?
Apart from a sprinkling of imagined scenes and minor details, Mr Bates vs the Post Office is accurately based off true events. These unfold exactly as they did in real life, key legal findings are spot on, and most of the characters are depicted with striking accuracy! Sure, the inner workings of the Horizon system were simplified for the screen, and filler scenes were creatively imagined to fill gaps where public records don’t exist – but overall, this one is veryyyy close to reality!
The Gold
Stream now on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅96%
Freely truth rating: 5/10
Imagine 6,800 gold bars, six daring robbers, and a heist so legendary it’s still surrounded in mystery decades later – this is The Gold in a nutshell. Inspired by the infamous 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery, the drama follows six armed men who stormed the Brink’s Mat security depot and walked away with gold bars worth a staggering £26 million. Over two seasons, the story unfolds as a police investigation hunts not only the robbers but also the elusive network of people who handled the stolen gold. With a star-studded cast including Hugh Bonneville, Dominic Cooper, Tom Cullen, and Jack Lowden, the tension, betrayals, and twists will have you glued to your screen, wondering if the full story will ever truly be uncovered!
How true is The Gold?
While many of the criminals, dealers, and police investigators are based on real people, a number of characters are fictionalized composites that blend multiple real-life figures. With so much of the actual heist still shrouded in mystery and speculation, the drama does fill in the gaps with fiction. There's certainly elements of truth scattered throughout, but overall, The Gold is definitely more cinematic than factual!
I Fought the Law
Stream on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅100%
Freely truth rating: 9/10
I Fought the Law tells the jaw-dropping true story of Ann Ming (Sheridan Smith) and her relentless quest for justice after her daughter Julie was brutally murdered in 1989, only to be let down not once, but twice, by the law. With the archaic double jeopardy rule blocking a retrial, Ann refused to back down, campaigning tirelessly for years to change the law and finally give Julie’s killer a second chance in court. This drama beautifully captures an extraordinary battle for truth, hope, and justice to show how Ann’s fight ultimately reshaped British legal history forever!
How true is I Fought The Law?
This drama is extremelyyyy faithful to reality, nailing the major events, timelines, outcomes, and the emotional weight of what actually happened. Some minor timelines have been tweaked for cinematic effect, and yes, there’s a touch of dramatic enhancement, but nothing that takes away from the heart of Ann Ming’s incredible story. Ann herself was heavily involved, and the drama is based on her own book, so you know it’s packed with authenticity and emotional truth.
Quiz
Stream on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅95%
Freely truth rating: 8/10
What happens when a primetime game show turns into one of the biggest scandals in TV history? Quiz takes you right into the madness behind the infamous Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? “coughing” scandal. The drama follows Charles Ingram (Matthew Macfadyen), a seemingly mild-mannered army major, and his wife Diana (Sian Clifford), as their obsession with winning big spirals wildly out of control. Quiz is part true crime, part high-stakes drama, and every bit as addictive as the game show itself!
How true is ITVs drama Quiz?
The quiz show scenes are 100% accurate because they’re straight from the recordings. The behind-the-scenes stuff is dramatized, so we can’t be sure exactly what happened off-camera, but the big events, the court case, and the crazy scandal are all real. And the cherry on top of the how true is this? cake? Charles Ingram himself has said the ITV drama got a lot right, revealing that “episode two is much more lifelike than the composite tape played in court and broadcast around the world”, meaning that infamous cough wasn’t nearly as loud or obvious in real life as the version we all saw!
The Hack
Stream on ITVX and STV Player
Freely truth rating: 7/10
The Hack dives headfirst into the explosive phone-hacking scandal that rocked the UK tabloids in the early 2000s. With David Tennant playing relentless journalist Nick Davies, uncovering the truth piece by piece, and Robert Carlyle as former Met Police detective chief superintendent Dave Cook, steering the investigation, you’re in for a whirlwind of tension, twists, and jaw-dropping reveals. From shocking exposés to courtroom battles, this true crime drama pulls you behind the headlines and into a world where secrets, lies, and ambition collide.
How true is The Hack?
While it paints a fairly accurate picture of the scandal, many characters are redacted, and names have been changed, meaning some portrayals are more “inspired by” than literal. Certain storylines and scenes have been added for dramatic tension, but the core events and main characters remain grounded in reality, giving you a gripping peek into one of the UK’s most notorious media scandals.
Read more about The Hack here!
A Cruel Love: Ruth Ellis Story
Stream on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅94%
Freely truth rating: 8/10
Step into post-war 1950s London, where jealousy, love, and heartbreak collide in the tragic true story of Ruth Ellis. Inspired by Carol Ann Lee’s A Fine Day for Hanging: The Real Ruth Ellis Story, this captivating ITV drama introduces you to Ruth (Lucy Boynton) and the torment she endured at the hands of her abusive lover David Blakely. Prepare to be gripping your seat as the layers of this tale reveal the secrets, heartbreak and the complexities of a woman caught in a society designed to turn against her.
How true is A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story?
Based firmly in fact thanks to the book, the drama hits the key events, major facts, and even courtroom scenes drawn from real trial transcripts. That said, many private conversations, relationships, and motivations are creatively reconstructed for the screen, adding layers of emotional depth where historical records are silent. Overall, it’s a powerful and largely accurate portrait of life as a woman navigating the male-dominated, post-war 1950s.
Interested? We've done a deep dive into this show and we even have some exclusive quotes!
Joan
Stream on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅81%
Freely truth rating: 7/10
Drama, glamour, and diamonds. Joan sweeps you straight into the criminal underworld of the 1980s. Sophie Turner shines as Joan Harrington, an infamous jewel thief whose story sparkles with danger and heartbreak in equal measure. Fleeing a violent husband and putting her daughter into care, Joan’s life takes a dramatic turn when she starts working at a jeweller’s… and makes one life-changing choice: to steal her first diamonds. From that moment, she dives deeper into a dazzling, dangerous world of high-stakes crime alongside her charismatic partner, Boise (Frank Dillane).
Want to discover who else is in Joan?
How true is Joan?
Joan Harrington herself was heavily involved in the making of the series, and much of the story is based directly on her memoir. The key events (especially her ingenious method for smuggling diamonds) are completely fact-based. However, the ending strays noticeably from reality, opting for a more dramatic twist than what actually happened. Otherwise, this would be a solid 9/10.
Four Lives
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅82%
Freely truth rating: 8/10
Four Lives is the kind of true story drama that will stay with you longggg after the credits roll. It follows the courage and determination of the families of four young gay men who lost their lives to killer Stephen Port, played chillingly by Stephen Merchant. This deeply human series exposes the shocking failings of the police investigation as the families refuse to give up their fight for justice.
Starring: Sheridan Smith, Leanne Best and Tim Preston.
How true is Four Lives?
The show strongly touches on the failings of the Met Police and sticks closely to the major known facts. Some moments are dramatized, particularly internal motivations and private conversations. Overall, it’s a truthful and compassionate portrayal that honours the victims and the families who refused to be silenced.
If you're a Sheridan Smith fan, we've assembled some of her best shows!
The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe
Stream on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅83%
Freely truth rating: 9/10
This bizarre true story follows John (Eddie Marshall) and Anne Darwin (Monica Dolan), who faked John’s death in a canoeing accident to claim life insurance. The drama follows their lies spiralling out of control as they live in secret for years, fooling friends, family, and authorities!
How true is The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe?
The drama sticks closely to the known events of the Darwins’ scheme, capturing the key twists, timelines, and shocking details. Some conversations and small private moments have been imagined for storytelling, but the main story (John’s fake death, the insurance fraud, and the eventual unravelling of their plan) is firmly based in reality.
Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards
Stream on 5
Freely truth rating: 6/10
Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards takes on one of the biggest media scandals in recent British history. Starring Martin Clunes as the former BBC newsreader, the drama explores the events that led to Edwards' dramatic fall from grace, including allegations first reported in 2023 and the criminal case that followed in 2024. Rather than functioning as a straightforward biography, the series focuses heavily on the imbalance of power between a famous public figure and the young man at the centre of the story. It's uncomfortable viewing, but so very gripping.
How true is Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards?
This is where things become a little more complicated. The drama is based on real events, court reporting, interviews with the alleged victim and his family, as well as messages and evidence gathered during the reporting of the case. 5 has said the production was extensively researched and produced within broadcasting guidelines.
However, unlike many of the other dramas on this list, some of the central allegations depicted were never tested in court, and Huw Edwards himself publicly criticised the programme before transmission, arguing that it was unlikely to accurately reflect what really happened.
If you're looking for eveeeen more recommendations of shows to watch on your Freely TV then why not check out our top drama recommendations!
