Tuesday, 11th May 2021 at 3:33 pm
BBC Two drama Danny Boy is based on the real-life events that led up to the Al-Sweady Inquiry, during which British troops were accused of mistreating Iraqi detainees.
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Anthony Boyle plays Colour Sergeant Brian Wood, a real life former soldier whose experiences both during and after his service in Iraq are explored on-screen.
The Danny Boy cast also includes Toby Jones, who plays the now-disgraced human rights solicitor Phil Shiner.
Read on for the true stories and real-life history behind Danny Boy.
Is Danny Boy a true story?
Based on a true story, Danny Boy depicts the events surrounding the Al-Sweady Inquiry that took place from 2009 to 2014 and investigated accusations of prisoner mistreatment by British troops in Iraq.
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In the new pictures Toby, 54, dressed smartly in a beige overcoat and striped scarf as he carried a collection of files in his arms.
The story homes in on soldier Brian Wood - played by Anthony Boyle - who embarks on a journey from war hero to alleged murderer following his time in Iraq.
Exciting: The single drama follows the real life events of human rights lawyer Phil Shiner s [Toby Jones] pursuit of British soldiers accused of war crimes
Disgraced: Shiner was struck off as a solicitor in 2007 after being found guilty of misconduct and dishonesty relating to false abuse claims against British troops (right is the real Shiner)
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Normal People star talks playing army wife in new BBC drama Danny Boy It was really heartbreaking. 09/05/2021
Normal People star Leah McNamara got her debut playing school bully Rachel Moran on the BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney s novel.
A year later, she is taking a big step forward from the drama about whether Connell (Paul Mescal) was going to bring her or Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) to the Debs. In her latest role, McNamara is playing an army wife and mum as part of the upcoming BBC Two drama
Saturday, 8th May 2021 at 9:00 am
If you havenât heard of Irish actress Leah McNamara yet, youâll undoubtedly recognise her. She recently starred in Normal People, the record-breaking BBC Three adaptation of Sally Rooneyâs bestseller. McNamara played teenage queen bee Rachel Moran, the third point in a school love triangle with protagonists Connell (Paul Mescal) and Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones).
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Connellâs decision to take Rachel to the Debs (the annual school ball) instead of Marianne proved a watershed moment in their relationship, and a flash point for both readers and viewers alike. On Instagram, McNamara previously posted an image of herself and Normal People co-star Paul Mescal, captioned, âUnpopular opinion: Connell and Rachel at the debsâ¦â
“There were no deadlines or anything, so if circumstances changed, or if people just took the money and never returned the cameras, that was fine. The main motivation was basically to try and help out a small amount, at a difficult time in the world, and allow people creative control if they did want to be involved.”
In the end, Barker and Wood received “many thousands” of photographs showcasing the perspectives of those without homes during lockdown, and the unique challenges they have faced.
Joe Pengelly, one of the photographers that took part in the project, tells Dazed that the cameras were his only income for the most part, since the