DanielMays(LineOfDutyRogueOne:AStarWarsStoryPublicEnemies)starsinBBCTwo’spowerfulfactualdramaasPeterWildebloodathoughtfulandprivategayjournalistwhoseloverEddieMcNally(playedbynewcomertotelevisionRichardGadd)underpressurefromtheauthoritiesturnedQueen’sevidenceagainsthiminoneofthemostexplosivecourtcasesofthe1950s-theinfamousMontaguTrial.Morethantenyearsbeforethedecriminalisationofhomosexualactsin1967PeterWildebloodandhisfriendsLordMontagu(MarkEdel-Hunt)andMichaelPitt-Riverswerefoundguiltyofhomosexualoffencesandjailed.WithhiscareerintattersandhisprivatelifepainfullyexposedWildebloodbeganhissentenceabrokenmanbutheemergedfromWormwoodScrubsayearlaterdeterminedtodoallhecouldtochangethewaythesedraconianlawsagainsthomosexualityimpactedonthelivesofmenlikehim.Danielsays:「I’mincrediblyproudtobepartofadramathattellssuchanimportantreal-lifestory.PeterWildebloodisafascinatingcomplexyetflawedcharacterfromatimewhenbeingagaymaninBritainwasincrediblydifficult-Ican’twaittobringhistaletolifefortheBBCTwoaudience.」PatrickHollandChannelEditorBBCTwosaid:「50yearsagoitwasacrimetobeagaymanintheUK.AgainstTheLawisastunningpiecethatmeldsdramaanddocumentarytestimonytotellthestoryofonemanandhiswidergenerationastheystruggledtomakesocietyaccepttheirsexualityasnon-criminal.ItisbrillianttohaveafilmthatbringstheauthorshipofBrianFillisthevisionofdirectorFergusO’BrienandtheoutstandingtalentofDanielMaysandcasttothisimportantsubject」ThedramaalsofeaturesMarkGatiss(TabooSherlock)asWildeblood’sprisonpsychiatristDoctorLandersandCharlieCreed-Miles(RipperStreetPeakyBlinders)asSuperintendentJones.Woventhroughthispowerfuldramaisreal-lifetestimonyfromachorusofmenwholivedthroughthosedarkdayswhenhomosexualswereroutinelyimprisonedorforcedtoundergochemicalaversiontherapyinanattempttocurethemoftheir"condition".Thereisalsotestimonyfromaretiredpoliceofficerwhosejobitwastoenforcetheselawsandaformerpsychiatricnursewhoadministeredtheso-calledcures.Alloftheseaccountsservetoamplifythethemesofthedramaandhelptoimmerseusintherealityofadarkchapterinourrecentpastapaststillwithinthereachoflivingmemory.