Is the Red Riding trilogy based on a true story?

Featuring quite the starry cast, the series centres on the world of corruption in institutions, weaving in plenty of twists and unexpected moments.

Seen by many as one of the defining dramas in the canon of British TV, it's safe to say that many are either rediscovering the series or discovering it for the first time now that it's on Netflix.

But of course, viewers will be left wondering whether or not it's based on a true story. Read on to find out.

Is Red Riding based on a true story?

While the series is steeped in relevant real-life topics like crime and corruption, the Red Riding Trilogy isn't actually based on a true story.

The series itself was written by screenwriter Tony Grisoni but is actually based on the quartet of novels by David Peace, which use fictionalised accounts to paint a picture of the investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper.

Peace released the first book, Nineteen Seventy-Four, in 1999, with Nineteen Seventy-Seven being released in 2000, Nineteen Eighty in 2001 and Nineteen Eighty-Three in 2002.

The books, like the series, toe the line between fact and fiction for a dramatised account of what happened in the search for the Yorkshire Ripper as he came to be known by the media at the time.

Peter Sutcliffe was eventually convicted as the perpetrator, being found guilty of murdering 13 women and attempting to murder seven others between 1975 and 1980.

Known as one of the most prolific British serial killers of all time, Sutcliffe's crimes gripped Yorkshire at the time and the search for him went on to become one of the largest and most expensive in British history.

As a result, West Yorkshire Police faced a lot of criticism at the time over their handling of the case and eventual manhunt, having interviewed Sutcliffe a total of nine times over the course of their five-year investigation.

Author Peace is from Yorkshire, with the talked-about case providing a basis of inspiration for his novels.

True crime drama fans may already be familiar with the tragic story of the Yorkshire Ripper, with ITV's The Long Shadow also shining a light on the five-year hunt for Sutcliffe through the eyes of his victims and their families, the survivors and also those who led the investigation.

The Red Riding Trilogy and The Long Shadow are of course unconnected, but both blend in factual and fictional elements for the purpose of dramatic storytelling.

The first film in the trilogy, Red Riding 1974, centres on young reporter Eddie Dunford (Andrew Garfield), who unravels a web of institutional corruption and deceit while investigating a string of child abductions in '70s Yorkshire.

The second film Red Riding 1980 sees Paddy Considine take the lead as "clean" Assistant Chief Constable Peter Hunter. When he's assigned to West Yorkshire to help with the investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper, he starts to find it increasingly difficult to continue his work amid such rampant corruption.

The third and final film in the trilogy, Red Riding 1983, sees Sherwood's David Morrissey take on the role of Detective Maurice Jobson, who suspects that the Yorkshire Ripper may still be alive.

When a young girl is kidnapped, he believes that he's imprisoned the wrong man and sets about trying to right the wrongs of the past.

While Peace's novel series was made up of four books in total, the series only comprised three feature-length films, focusing on new characters as well as recurring ones throughout.

Red Riding 1974, Red Riding 1980 and Red Riding 1983 are available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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