{
  "id": 8635612,
  "title": "The Blame is the 'brutal' new ITV Michelle Keegan crime drama using shocking real texts exposing misogyny in the police — but the original opening was 'so explicit' that it was cut",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/the-blame-is-the-brutal-new-itv-michelle-keegan-crime-drama-using",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T07:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/the-blame-is-the-brutal-new-itv-crime-drama-using-shocking-real-texts-exposing-misogyny-in-the-police-but-the-original-opening-was-so-explicit-that-it-was-cut"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "ITV has unveiled a new crime drama titled \"The Blame,\" set to premiere on September 20. The six-part series, starring Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth, centers around the murder of a teenage skater, and explores how the investigation leads detectives to expose the misogyny present within their own police force. The show is made all the more shocking by the use of real texts discovered through whistleblowing operations, which reveal the casual misogyny that exists among officers involved in the case.\n\nKeegan and Booth discuss the importance of starting the series with such explicit content, arguing that it is necessary to drive home the point. Booth, who plays DI Tom Radley, explains that the blunt approach was a deliberate choice, as even if it wasn't as explicit, the impact would have been the same. Keegan adds that starting with a seemingly harmless scenario allows viewers to confront the shocking reality of the situation more effectively.\n\nThe series begins with DI Emma Clare and DI Tom Radley discussing the events of the day at a local pub, unaware that a murder has just occurred. The show delves into the social culture surrounding the police force, as other officers engage in conversations about seducing attractive women at the bar. This subtle yet all-too-familiar representation of the social environment serves to underscore the pervasive misogyny that exists within the police force.\n\nWhile the show's opening scene faced a couple of different versions, including a more explicit one, the creators ultimately decided against it. Booth and Keegan discuss the moral complexities of the storyline, emphasizing the constant back-and-forth experience that viewers have while watching \"The Blame.\" Despite the potential for public backlash, both actors express confidence in the show's ability to shed light on both the institutional rot and the genuine efforts made by the police force.",
  "summary": "The Blame on ITV is shocking enough in its storyline — but its original opening scene was so explicit, that it had to be dropped and refilmed.",
  "key_points": [
    "\"The Blame\" crime drama premieres on September 20",
    "Uses real texts exposing misogyny in police force",
    "Opening scene debated between explicit and toned-down versions"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}