Sheridan Smith reveals new role as murder campaign mum Ann Ming is the ‘hardest thing she’s ever done’ – with the work leaving her in tears

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In a heartfelt manner, Sheridan Smith‘s voice quivers with emotion as she begins to honor the extraordinary woman seated beside her. She shares this woman’s inspiring life journey in her latest dramatic production.

In a groundbreaking move, Ann Ming challenged the established legal system, successfully overturning an old law following the tragic murder of her daughter, as the perpetrator managed to evade justice.

In simpler terms, some people might have heard about Ann’s remarkable tale before, but the drama presented in ITV’s new four-part series, “I Fought The Law,” carries an especially strong impact.

In a rephrased and more conversational style, the sentence could read: Sheridan plays the role of Ann, a mother who, after discovering her daughter’s lifeless body, embarked on a relentless pursuit that eventually resulted in the conviction of the culprit, following the alteration of the double jeopardy law. This rule previously prevented anyone who had been acquitted from being retried for the same crime, regardless of any fresh evidence.

During the unveiling of her latest series, Sheridan often wears her emotions openly. Whenever she gets emotional to the point of tearing up, Ann comfortingly squeezes her hand for support.

With a renewed calmness, Sheridan, aged 44, expresses, ‘This has undoubtedly been my toughest challenge yet. My goal was to make Ann proud and ensure her tale receives the fairness and justice it merits.’

She goes on to say: “I became deeply involved emotionally right from the start. It was hard for me to comprehend all that she endured, and the missteps of those around her.

Beyond simply grieving the loss of her child – a pain I cannot fathom as a mother – Ann faced this additional struggle: being dismissed by numerous individuals despite her pleas. However, much like a tenacious lioness, Ann refused to accept defeat and persisted relentlessly.

In the month of November, 1989, Julie Hogg, Ann’s 22-year-old daughter and mother of a three-year-old named Kevin, vanished from their residence in Billingham, County Durham.

A forensics team searched her home and found nothing untoward.

In February of 1990, three months on, a strong odor in Julie’s home prompted Ann to find her daughter’s decaying body concealed behind the bathroom panel. It was discovered that Julie had been choked, violated, and secreted underneath the bathtub.

‘I knew something had happened to my daughter from day one,’ Ann says. 

Initially, the police believed she had fled to London, but I knew otherwise. I think finding Julie after 80 days gave me the determination to keep going, as it validated my suspicions. Now that I have a chance to share the complete account, I’m relieved.

But when Ann found Julie’s body, her tribulations had only just begun. 

In simpler terms, William Dunlop, the person accused of murdering Julie, was set free as both of his trials resulted in deadlock among the jurors, leading to an acquittal since no unanimous decision could be reached for a second trial.

When Dunlop started boasting in local taverns about his alleged criminal act and claiming he was now immune to prosecution, Ann decided to initiate a movement aimed at changing the double jeopardy law.

In her advanced years, Ann, who once worked as a surgical theater nurse, continues to exude the same gracefulness and fervor that drove her to Westminster, advocating for change with unwavering enthusiasm.

Through support from politicians advocating on her behalf, Ann managed to meet with government officials and passionately addressed the House of Lords. Her efforts proved successful.

In simpler terms, the Blair administration made changes to the double jeopardy rule within the Criminal Justice Act of 2003, allowing this alteration to be applicable to past cases as of 2005. This means that certain cases could potentially be reopened or retried under this new legislation.

2006 saw Dunlop being found guilty of murder, where he’s currently serving his sentence. A year later, Ann received an MBE for her outstanding contributions to the Criminal Justice System.

Ann, who lost her husband Charlie in 2013 and has a family consisting of two children and Julie, expressed that she’s content with what she accomplished but admitted it came at a cost, a fact her family can attest to.

When someone asks, ‘Aren’t you intimidated by the House of Lords?’ I reply with a laugh, ‘Not at all!’ After all, everyone is equal, and no one is superior to you.

Among several brave roles, Ann is the most recent one that Sheridan has been highly praised for portraying. This includes characters like Cilla Black, Julie Bushby from The Moorside (based on the Shannon Matthews case), and Mrs. Biggs, who is Ronnie’s wife, in a 2012 drama named after her, earning her a Best Actress BAFTA.

‘Playing real people is a privilege and it’s why I do what I do,’ Sheridan says. 

Experiencing challenging emotions while performing only strengthens my connection with the character I’m portraying, as I am merely acting. Yet, it amazes me how genuine people can remain strong after enduring such struggles in real life.

Depicting Ann was an emotionally taxing task for Sheridan as she had become a mother of five-year-old Billy, stemming from her past relationship with Jamie Horn (her ex-fiancé).

Since I became a mother, this is the first true-to-life tale I’ve tackled, and it sparks different aspects in me, particularly with regards to what happened to Ann.

I’ve taken on roles where characters lose their children, and since I myself lost my older brother Julian (who passed away from cancer in 1990 at the age of 18), I often ponder what my mother might have experienced during that difficult time.

As I played the character Ann, I found it intensely emotional to unearth those deep-seated feelings. Yet, amidst all this, I’m grateful for the privilege of returning to my beloved child, reminding me of the immense luck in my life.

Sheridan studied hours of footage of Ann to master her mannerisms and Teesside accent. 

She mentions that they captured a specific scene on film, which can be found online, and it was crucial for her to perform this scene accurately. To ensure authenticity, she also matched the character’s action of switching her handbag from one shoulder to another, similar to how it appears in the video clip.

Whenever I act opposite a real person, I strive to experience their emotions. Since I didn’t attend drama school or receive formal acting training, I don’t have the technique to control these emotions like a professional actor does; instead, I focus on immersing myself emotionally into the character.

From the moment Julie vanished, Ann seemed deeply troubled, and I genuinely wanted to offer support. I often chide myself when I fail to truly share in her distress or understand her suffering.

Sheridan acknowledges that throwing herself fully into her acting roles can be exhausting, so she has devised fresh methods to help manage.

‘I’ve taken up yoga and meditation – can you believe it!’ she laughs.

In the series, filming took place both in Newcastle and its surrounding areas. Unfortunately, her son couldn’t be with her during the production. She expressed that she deeply missed him.

She acknowledges it was draining on an emotional level. By the close of it, she was a trembling wreck. Frankly, for Ann to endure everything like that is simply astounding. To be honest, I envy her resilience in real life!

I Fought The Law airs on Sunday and Monday night at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. 

On September 11th, you can catch a documentary titled “I Fought The Law: The Ann Ming Story,” which highlights Ann’s political campaign, on ITV1.

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2025-08-31 21:35