This Thing of Darkness

by Frances Poet with monologues by Eileen Horne.

Part One – A Dangerous Animal

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of serious crime.

This gripping drama explores the psychological impact of murder on teenage perpetrators and follows the fortunes of participants in a Long Sentence therapy group.

Has Dr Bridges made a mistake in putting co-offenders together in Group therapy?

Dr Alex Bridges ….. Lolita Chakrabarti

Sound Design: Fraser Jackson

Series Consultant: Dr Gwen Adshead

Series format created by Lucia Haynes, Audrey Gillan, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams.

Thanks to Victoria Byrne, Barlinnie Prison, Vox Liminis Distant Voices Project and Prof Fergus McNeill.

Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of serious crime.

This gripping drama explores the psychological impact of murder on teenage perpetrators and follows the fortunes of participants in a Long Sentence therapy group.

Has Dr Bridges made a mistake in putting co-offenders together in Group therapy?

The winner of the British Podcast Award for Best Fiction 2021 returns with a gripping drama about trauma, obsession and why we harm the things we love.

Part 7 of 7

Written by Lucia Haynes and Anita Vettesse with monologues by Eileen Horne.

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of violent crime.

Desperation for answers, fear and love lead Ros, Paul and Sarah to a place where the truth will be revealed. Sometimes love is traumatic. Sometimes it’s fatal.

Alex … Lolita Chakrabarti

Series created by Lucia Haynes, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams.

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Gaynor Macfarlane

The winner of the British Podcast Award for Best Fiction 2021 returns with a gripping drama about trauma, obsession and why we harm the things we love.

Part 6 of 7

Written by Lucia Haynes with Anita Vettesse; monologues by Eileen Horne.

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of violent crime. Having realised Sarah poses an immediate threat to Paul’s family, Alex has to find a way to tell Paul she has betrayed his trust.

With their baby’s life on the line, and their marriage in crisis, revelations come thick and fast. What else is she set to lose?

Alex … Lolita Chakrabarti

Series created by Lucia Haynes, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams.

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Kirsty Williams

The winner of the British Podcast Award for Best Fiction 2021 returns with a gripping drama about trauma, obsession and why we harm the things we love.

Part 5 of 7

Written by Anita Vettesse with monologues by Eileen Horne.

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of violent crime. She also runs a trauma therapy group.

When her professional worlds come dangerously close, Alex is faced with a dilemma: what if the only way to protect someone from harm is to betray their trust?

Dark secrets are revealed as Sarah and Paul’s lives collide. And the lies we tell our loved ones to get their attention are exposed as the Lotus Group continue to work through their various traumas.

Alex … Lolita Chakrabarti

Series created by Lucia Haynes, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams.

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Kirsty Williams

The winner of the British Podcast Award for Best Fiction 2021 returns with a gripping drama about trauma, obsession and why we harm the things we love.

Part 4 of 7

Written by Anita Vettesse with monologues by Eileen Horne.

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of violent crime.

Paul and Sarah discover that the past still exerts enormous power in the present. How far will they go?

Alex … Lolita Chakrabarti

Series created by Lucia Haynes, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams.

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Gaynor Macfarlane

The winner of the British Podcast Award for Best Fiction 2021 returns with a gripping drama about trauma, obsession and why we harm the things we love.

Part 3 of 7

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of violent crime.

Sarah has made a new friend, which feels like good news to Dr Bridges. But what if we can’t recover from past trauma?

Alex … Lolita Chakrabarti

Series created by Lucia Haynes, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams.

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Gaynor Macfarlane

The winner of the British Podcast Award for Best Fiction 2021 returns with a gripping drama about trauma, obsession and why we harm the things we love.

Part 2 of 7

Written by Lucia Haynes with monologues by Eileen Horne.

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of violent crime.

With Sarah out of prison, Paul begins to feel less and less safe and turns to a trauma therapy group for support.

And so, Alex finds herself treating both the perpetrator of a violent crime and her victim.

Alex … Lolita Chakrabarti

Series created by Lucia Haynes, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams.

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Kirsty Williams

The winner of the British Podcast Award for Best Fiction 2021 returns with a gripping drama about trauma, obsession and why we harm the things we love.

Part 1 of 7

Written by Anita Vettesse with monologues by Eileen Horne.

Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of violent crime.

Alex assesses a young woman as she is released from prison. Sarah has served ten years for Arson. Does she still present a risk?

Alex … Lolita Chakrabarti

Series created by Lucia Haynes, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams.

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Gaynor Macfarlane

Gripping drama inspired by a real forensic psychologist and her work in secure prisons.