New BBC drama titled Floodlights will tell the story of the former footballer Andy Woodward, who was sexually abused by youth coach Barry Bennell, with star Gerard Kearns taking the lead role.
The feature-length film, made with Andy’s co-operation, will tell how in 2016 the sports star revealed he had been abused while playing at Crewe, prompting a string of other players to come forward and the FA to launch a review.
In February 2018, Barry was sentenced to 31 years in prison in Britain for repeatedly abusing 12 boys aged eight to 15 between 1979 and 1991, with a judge describing him as ‘the devil incarnate’.
Barry had been convicted in the United States in 1995 of sexually abusing a 13-year-old British boy on a tour.
.
Andy said: ‘Since speaking out in 2016, I wanted to continue to encourage people to talk without fear to make a change.
‘Floodlights tells my story, which no child should ever have to go through. I hope this film helps to stop abuse in football and in all areas of life.’
Gerard added: ‘I am honoured to be playing Andrew Woodward and hope that we have done his story justice.’
Other lead roles in the drama will be taken by ’s Jonas Armstrong, The A Word’s Morven Christie and Benidorm actor Steve Edge.
The show is written by Matt Greenhalgh, whose previous credits include Control and Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, and directed by Nick Rowland, who is responsible for Calm With Horses and Hard Sun.
It will follow Andy from a boy with a passion for football to his successful professional career, as it reveals he is no longer able to ignore the haunting memories of the abuse he was subjected to.
It will also examine the power and control held by Barry as he groomed young players and their families with the promise of making their dreams come true, the BBC said.
Matt added: ‘I was in the crowd at Maine Road when Bury FC beat my team, Manchester City, 0-1 in 1998.
‘Andy Woodward was playing for Bury… and was outstanding. When his brutal story broke, I remember being stunned not only by the magnanimity of his courage but by how this could happen in our national sport.
‘His horrific revelations were undoubtedly a pivotal moment for football… but also for many, many men.
He continued that Andy’s story ‘deserves telling as a drama’ in order to ‘inform’ the next generation of parents and kids.
He added that he’s ‘very proud’ to be part of his honourable fight to ‘expose those who prey on children in any walk of life’.
Floodlights will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in the spring.
