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BBC’s ‘Prisoner 951’ Debuts, Recounting Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s Six-Year Ordeal

Early reviews praise standout performances, underscoring a stark portrayal of Iranian abuses, UK missteps.

Overview

  • The four-part factual drama is streaming now in full on BBC iPlayer, with episode one scheduled on BBC One at 9pm Sunday.
  • The series traces Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s 2016 airport arrest through her six-year detention, depicting solitary confinement, harsh interrogations, and a legal process stacked against her.
  • It shows Richard Ratcliffe encountering Foreign Office guidance to stay quiet as he turns to the media to press her case.
  • Archival footage includes Boris Johnson saying she was “teaching journalism,” presented as worsening her standing with Iranian authorities.
  • Critics single out Narges Rashidi and Joseph Fiennes for compelling performances, with creator Stephen Butchard drawing on first-hand accounts and extensive research.