David Farnor | On 09, May 2018

Line of Duty’s Craig Parkinson and Fresh Meat’s Juliet Cowa‪n will star in Killed By My Debt, BBC Three’s latest factual dram‬a.

The one-hour programme tells the true story of Jerome Rogers, a 19-year-old motorbike courier from Croydon, whose two unpaid £65 traffic fines escalate to more than a thousand pounds. Unravelling under the pressure of his mounting debt and with his only source of income – his bike – clamped, Jerome is driven to take tragic action.

At the heart of Killed By My Debt is a breakout performance from talented newcomer Chance Perdomo as Jerome, with Parkinson playing The Bailiff and Cowan ‪co-starring ‬as Jerome’s mum, Tracey Rogers. Tom Walker, whose alter ego is Jonathan Pie, will play Jerome’s CitySprint controller.

Due to air later this month, the hard-hitting film depicts the dangerous drawbacks of the gig economy and insecure jobs, the impact of traffic fines and the destructive power of debt. Killed By My Debt is directed by the multi award winning Joseph Bullman (Secret History Of Our Streets, Seven Sins Of England) and produced by BBC Studios Documentary Unit. The film continues BBC Three’s tradition of fact based dramas, with the online channel receiving BAFTA and RTS awards for such films as Don’t Take My Baby, Murdered By My Father and Murdered For Being Different.

Bullman and writer Tahsin Guner worked closely with Jerome’s family and with evidence from young people working inside the gig economy and from those among them gripped by debt. The result is a minutely researched story of a national personal debt crisis.

Calvin Demba (Kingsman, Youngers, National Theatre’s Red Lion) plays Jerome’s brother, and Steve Toussaint plays Bentley Duncan, Tracey’s partner.

Damian Kavanagh, Controller, BBC Three, says: “This drama is an incredibly important British story and a devastating examination of the damage wrought on one family by low income, unstable jobs and debt. It is an issue that affects many in the country, mainly young people, and I’m proud that BBC Three continues to bring thought-provoking, powerful storytelling to younger audiences.”

In addition to the hour-long drama, separate short-form content from BBC Three will include a short interview with Jerome’s mum and sister, and a Confessions Of A Bailiff film in which a working bailiff talks about the stresses of life as a gig economy bailiff struggling to earn a living.

Add to Watchlist