Fatal mistake

Russell Tovey heads the cast of a new Disney+ drama on the events surrounding the 2005 death of Jean Charles de Menezes

- LAURA CARRENO-MULLER

His death became a global news story and 20 years on, Disney+ delves into the harrowing events that led to the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in central London.

Suspect: The Shooting Of Jean Charles De Menezes is a gripping new four-part drama starring Russell Tovey, Conleth Hill, Max Beesley, Laura Aikman, Daniel Mays and Emily Mortimer.

When Russell, 43, was approached to join the cast, he had to stop and take it in.

"I was shocked that 2025 will mark 20 years since the event - it's gone incredibly quickly," he says. "It doesn't feel like it was that long ago, but I knew there had been a lot of misinformation at the time."

The actor plays deputy assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan Police Brian Paddick, who was then Britain's highest-ranking openly gay police officer.

"He's someone I've looked up to. I was happy he was someone within the community with good morals," says Russell, who is also gay.

"I came out very early in my career and was advised along the way not to consider it, but I went against that advice.

I feel a real connection to Brian. I understand what it means to be gay in the public eye and what people can write about you."

Misconceptions have long surrounded Jean Charles' story but to understand it, we need to rewind to July 2005. Just a day after London celebrated winning the bid to host the 2012 Olympics, carnage was unleashed.