Barry Bennell

The Bay's Jonas Armstrong talks about his challenging role as abusive football coach Barry Bennell in Floodlights, a BBC drama about former footballer ...

To be so conscious and hyper aware of what was going on, for a lad his age, was remarkable." "He was [outwardly] charming and disarming, and people gravitated towards him. If I played him as an overtly grotesque character, you're going to think: ‘I wouldn't go near that fella!’ So it’s finding the charisma, but also showing that demon."

Family of Andy Woodward, pictured, suffered untold horrors at the hands of Bennell men.

“We strongly urge anybody who feels they may have been a victim of Bennell, or any other abuser, to seek legal advice. However, Liam added that it was important for others who had suffered abuse by Bennell to know that they could still pursue a civil claim. But the last word goes to Woodward himself: “Since speaking out in 2016 I’ve wanted to continue to encourage people to talk without fear, to make a change. “Andy’s story more than deserves telling as drama, so that it can keep on telling, and informing the next generation of parents and kids. He had served 12 years of the life sentence he had been given for murdering Lynda when he was 18. Andy Woodward - a football-mad youngster - fell victim to prolific child abuser Bennell in his teens.

Andy Woodward spoke out about the abuse he and others had suffered at the hands of paedophile football coach Barry Bennell (Image: PA).

But Liam added it was important for others who had suffered abuse by Bennell to know they could still pursue a civil claim. In an interview with the Guardian, Andy described how Bennell took him to his parents' house, where a photo of Ronald Bennell hung on the wall. “Andy’s story more than deserves telling as drama, so that it can keep on telling, and informing the next generation of parents and kids. Ronald Bennell was by that time dead, having hanged himself in Strangeways Prison while on remand over the murder of another young woman, in Stockport, in 1989. It is based on the experiences of Andy Woodward, who fell prey to former Crewe Alex coach Bennell while in his teens. The shocking details are due to be aired in a docu-drama tonight (May 17).

The former football coach, who has since changed his name to Richard Jones, is serving a 34-year jail sentence for his multiple offences against the young ...

Robin Hood actor Jonas Armstrong is set to portray Bennell in the upcoming one-off episode, and spoke about his discomfort in the role. Upon sentencing, Judge Patrick Thompson told him: "These were children whose parents trusted and respected you, when you were in fact a parent's worst nightmare. In February 2018, he was found guilty of 43 counts of incident and serious sexual assault offences.