Michelle Keegan’s Shocking Opening Scene Axed From New ITV Drama—What Was Too Explicit to Air?
Ever noticed how the opening scene of a TV show can set the tone for everything that follows? Now imagine being so “blunt and direct” that your premiere is scrapped for being too explicit—even before it hits the air. That’s not just edgy, that’s a flex. Michelle Keegan’s new ITV drama The Blame waltzed right up to that line, stared it in the face, and then sheepishly took a step back—at the producers’ behest, of course.
Launching on September 20, this grim, six-part whodunnit pulls us into a murder investigation in the (not-so-chipper) town of Wakestead, but gets even juicier by training its spotlights on everyday misogyny lurking under the badge. I mean, who knew procedural crime drama could make you both crave popcorn and want to overthrow workplace patriarchy? Keegan’s DI Emma Crane and her “nice guy” sidekick, DI Tom Radley (Douglas Booth), start out innocently enough—if you ignore the pub banter about picking up women—but as the small-town secrets unravel, things get uncomfortably real.
Honestly, isn’t it wild that what almost aired was even more audacious? For a show inspired by raw, real-life messages from police WhatsApp groups, deciding what’s too shocking seems like whittling a chainsaw into a butter knife. If you’re curious where entertainment meets “this actually happens,” you’re in for a ride that’s not just enthralling but infuriating in all the right ways . LEARN MORE
The planned opening for Michelle Keegan’s new ITV drama had to be cut and reformulated because it was deemed too ‘explicit’ for audiences, according to the show’s main stars.
On 20 September, the six-part series The Blame debuted on ITV. It follows a grisly investigation into the murder of a local teenage girl, led by Keegan’s DI Emma Crane and her ‘nice guy’ partner, DI Tom Radley (played by Douglas Booth).
The channel promises that the programme, which opens with Crane and Radley in the pub while other police officers discuss how best to pick up women, will ‘have audiences on the edge of their seats’.
“The drama dives into secrets, suspicion, and systemic corruption – all under the surface of the seemingly quiet town, Wakestead,” ITV added.
TechRadar reported that the programme’s misogynistic opener wasn’t how the show producers originally wanted to kick off The Blame.
Instead, there were a ‘couple of different versions’ filmed, Booth, 34, told the publication.
“There was a much more explicit one that [creators] decided not to go with. It was explicit… I won’t go into what. But they didn’t start with it.”
The Dirt favourite claimed that despite the early concept being scrapped, *The Blame—based on the book of the same name by Charlotte Langley—*still started in a ‘blunt and direct’ manner.
“But I think even if it wasn’t that blatant, the effect would be the same. As you go through the story, it goes much deeper.”
Misogyny is a key theme
Tandem with the classic whodunnit plot, The Blame is used to explore misogyny in the workplace.
Keegan and Booth star in The Blame (ITV/David Hindley)
As Keegan and Booth’s characters continue to work to understand the missing Wakestead teen’s last known moments, it becomes apparent that some in the department harbour deep-rooted misogynistic views.
Digital Spy wrote that viewers are likely to ‘grit their teeth in anger’ whenever Crane ‘suppresses the urge to bite back or advocate for herself against the relentless torrent of abuse’.
“Oftentimes she puts up with workplace harassment, choosing her battles carefully in order to keep her position so that she can enact change,” a review stated.
Speaking about the misogyny and bullying that her character endures across The Blame, Keegan, 39, said: “You’re trying to solve a crime, but the way that men talk to you, the way they interfere or get in the way, even the compliments… this is all explored through many facets.
The six-part series is streaming now (ITV/David Hindley)
“But starting with the base of something seeming harmless immediately drops you into the right place.”
She added in an interview with The Manchester Evening News: “I feel a responsibility, and we want to start a conversation at the end of it that people can relate to in their workplace and speak up and feel comfortable to speak up as well.”
“If you’ve done nothing wrong, what would you be worried about?”
When asked about backlash for potentially portraying police officers in this manner, Booth claimed: “When we spoke to police, they understand that there are issues. I don’t think anyone can say otherwise.
“But you also see all of the brilliant work that the police do. They’re doing a really difficult job out there, all the time.
Booth commented on potential ‘backlash’ (ITV)
“That doesn’t mean that there aren’t systemic issues, and a certain institutional rot that is portrayed in this show.”
He added: “But I’m not really worried. Because if you’ve done nothing wrong, what would you be worried about?”
What happens in The Blame?
An official ITV synopsis reads that it doesn’t take Crane and Radley, who work at the Wakestead Police Station, too long to identify the main suspect in the missing teenage figure skater case.
However, as the case progresses, an ‘unexpected lead comes to light’.
“As Crane and Radley dig deeper, they uncover a web of lies, institutional cover-ups and moral compromise, which forces Crane to question the people closest to her.”
Real-life text messages inspired the series
During one episode, Crane uncovers a secretive WhatsApp group where her colleagues shared stomach-rolling ‘banter’ about cases and sensitive pictures of victims.
Keegan said she felt some ‘responsibility’ while filming the show (ITV)
Executive producer Nicola Shindler said that she and her team were actually able to access similar messages shared by real-life police officers.
“We did a lot of work on the cases that are out there. We had access to those text messages which real police officers have sent,” she informed the Manchester Evening News.
“They become increasingly important and we wanted to keep it as close to that as possible. If we’d made it up, you wouldn’t believe what was in those messages, so we chose not to make it up.
“The reality is so shocking if you sit and look at a list of what was said.”
Shindler added: “The culture of misogyny and the way that certain cases are handled and certain people are treated, I just think telling it within a really compelling story which makes you want to keep watching, which entertains you, is just such a good opportunity.”
All episodes of The Blame are now available to stream on ITVX.
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