Daniel Mays admits 'takes its toll' as he opens up on starring as real-life rapist in ITV drama

Olivia Gantzer
Sun, 26 Apr 2026 05:00:01 +0000

Daniel Mays has spoken candidly about the emotional weight of playing notorious sex offender John Worboys in the ITV drama Believe Me.

The actor, who has worked professionally for over a quarter of a century, admitted he underestimated how challenging the part would prove.

"I'm not going to lie to you, it did, at times, take its toll," Mays told GB News and other media.

"It was a difficult thing and an unsettling thing to portray, and very isolating by its very nature."

The role required Mays to bring depth to a figure responsible for some of Britain's most prolific sexual offences.

He described the task as attempting to humanise someone fundamentally evil whilst exploring the person behind the headlines in a three-dimensional manner.

Writer Jeff Pope contacted Mr Mays directly before the offer went through official channels, given the sensitive nature of the project.

"He texted me and said, 'I'm going to give you, I'm offering you a role, and I need to give you a heads up before it goes to your agent,'" Mays recalled.

The actor had no hesitation in accepting, having collaborated with Mr Pope on two previous occasions.

Mr Mays praised the writer's meticulous approach to storytelling, noting his journalistic background ensures scripts are thoroughly researched, heartfelt and engaging.

"Jeff, as a writer, seems to get the best out of me as an actor," he explained.

Despite recognising the significant acting challenge ahead, Mr Mays acknowledged he failed to anticipate just how demanding the portrayal would become.

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Believe Me chronicles the crimes of Worboys, who became known as the black cab rapist after targeting women passengers in his licensed taxi.

His method involved picking up female passengers following nights out, then claiming he had won money at a casino or on the lottery.

He would persistently offer victims drug-laced champagne to celebrate his supposed windfall, leaving them unconscious.

Worboys received a conviction in 2009 for sexual assault and drugging with intent against twelve women, though these cases were drawn from a far larger pool of suspected victims.

The drama centres on Sarah and Laila, two women who reported assaults by Worboys only to face inadequate investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

Their experiences left them feeling disbelieved, with Laila even questioned about whether her red nail varnish reflected her character.

The Metropolitan Police's investigative failures allowed Worboys to continue offending undetected for years, with his trial revealing links to allegations from more than a hundred women.

Sarah and Laila subsequently pursued legal action against the Met under the Human Rights Act, arguing the force's inadequate investigations subjected them to degrading treatment.

They secured victory, then prevailed again when the Met appealed to the Supreme Court.Carrie Symonds, who narrowly escaped Worboys as a young woman, risked her position in the Conservative Party press team to lead a campaign for judicial review of his parole decision. The effort succeeded in overturning his release."Seeking justice shouldn't mean more trauma," Sarah stated. "The shame never belongs to the survivor."Carrie Johnson called for "a profound shift in culture" in how institutions treat women who come forward.