TV drama about murdered schoolboy Rhys Jones to film at Goodison on Sunday
The moment the family of murdered Liverpool schoolboy Rhys Jones gathered at Goodison Park - as tributes were paid to the youngster - is going to be recreated at half time this weekend for a new TV drama
The moment the family of murdered Liverpool schoolboy Rhys Jones gathered at Goodison Park - as tributes were paid to the youngster - is going to be recreated at half time this weekend for a new TV drama Four part series 'Little Boy Blue' has been giving the blessing of Rhys' parents Melanie and Stephen.
In the days following their 11-year-old son’s tragic shooting in August 2007, Melanie and Steve were supported by the manager, players and staff at Everton Football Club. The family were guests of the Club at the first fixture after Rhys’ tragic death as Everton fans and visiting Blackburn supporters showed their respects with a period of applause. Filming will take place at half time on Sunday 30 October during Everton’s game with West Ham - with actors Sinead Keenan and Bryan F. O’Byrne playing Melanie and Steve.
The drama, written by BAFTA award-winning screenwriter and executive producer, Jeff Pope, is produced with Melanie and Steve’s full approval and is based on careful research. It will explore Melanie and Steve’s ordeal following Rhys’s murder as he made his way home to Croxteth Park across the Fir Tree pub car park following football practice. Melanie and Steve said:
"We wanted to get involved in this drama because we thought it was important for people to understand what really happened - how close Rhys's murderer came to escaping justice, and how in the end the simple courage shown by some of those involved in these events, and their refusal to be intimidated, led to the conviction of Sean Mercer and others involved in Rhys's murder."
"The part Merseyside Police and especially Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly played in this cannot be over-estimated."
"But beyond this we wanted to show the devastating effect the loss of our beloved son Rhys had on our family, and how the grieving process affected us long beyond the 'closure' of a guilty verdict."
"Though some may find what happened to us shocking we think it is right to tell the whole story." Rhys’ parents are appealing to Evertonians at the game on Sunday to please remain in their seats at half time to allow filming to take part and to join in recreating tbat poignant moment of applause for the family. The drama, written by BAFTA award-winning screenwriter and executive producer, Jeff Pope, is produced with Melanie and Steve’s full approval and is based on careful research. It will explore Melanie and Steve’s ordeal following Rhys’s murder as he made his way home to Croxteth Park across the Fir Tree pub car park following football practice. The drama is produced by Kwadjo Dajan (Cilla, The Widower Appropriate Adult as Development Producer) and directed by Paul Whittington (Cilla, The Widower, Mrs Biggs). Stephen Graham has been cast as SIO Dave Kelly who led the investigation into Rhys’s murder on behalf of Merseyside Police.