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there's no new episode of masterpiece studio this week but in celebration of masterpieces, Mr. Bates

versus the post office winning the prestigious Peabody Award in the entertainment category, we're

revisiting our 2024 conversation with writer Gwyneth Hughes. In this episode, we talked with Gwyneth

about the inner workings of the British postal system, how she adapted this true story about the British postal system scandal for television,

and the sub-postmaster's ongoing quest for justice.

Mr. Bates v. the Post Office, and the companion documentary,

the real story of Mr. Bates v. the post office,

are available to stream on the PBS app and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Channel.

I'm Jace Lakehob and you're listening to Masterpiece Studio.

On the surface, the British Post Office might not seem like the most interesting subject

for a four-part drama miniseries.

After all, how much scandal could there be in an institution responsible for handling the mail?

However, this is one instance where truth is very much stranger than fiction.

Post Office Limited is stealing my livelihood, my shop, my job, my home, my life savings, my good name.

When Americans hear post office, we generally think of the USPS, a government institution

whose employees are federal workers.

We might also think of its unofficial slogan,

neither rain nor sleet nor snow, elements that are no match for the determined mail carriers

who deliver our precious catalogs, bills, and letters from loved ones. In Britain, the post office

is a cherished beloved institution, thought of as a loyal and dependable

linchpin of British existence for more than 300 years.

...