Roadkill: BBC drama accused of ‘left-wing bias’ as first episode leaves viewers divided

Series stars Hugh Laurie as a Tory cabinet minister

Roadkill, the new BBC One political thriller by David Hare, has been accused of left-wing bias.

The state-of-the-nation drama stars Hugh Laurie as a Tory cabinet minister with many skeletons in his closet and Helen McCrory as an icy prime minister.

In a three-star review, The Independent’s critic Ed Cumming wrote that Laurie’s character “is obviously a kind of Farage-Gove-Johnson mashup, self-made, shifty and popular, with an LBC-style talk radio show and a complicated love life”.

Many viewers were delighted with the show, and hailed it as an uncomfortably realistic depiction of modern politics.

“BBC1's great new drama Roadkill is a fictional drama based on real crooked, twisted, dishonest, two timing, double dealing, ruthless Tory MPs,” tweeted one person.

A second wrote: “Really loved the first ep of this tonight, slick and refreshing..”

“A drama about a corrupt, lying Tory MP who’ll stop at nothing to achieve his ambitions? #Roadkill What a ridiculous storyline. As if that would ever happen ... oh hold on ...” joked a third.

Others, however, criticised the series for depicting Conservative politicians – albeit fictional – in a negative light.

“Roadkill: a thrilling new BBC drama about an evil Tory minister who wants to privatise the NHS,” tweeted one viewer. “Good to see the state broadcaster ploughing an unexpected furrow and escaping from the shackles of its left wing prejudices...”

A second added: “What a shame. Could have been brilliant if they‘d restrained the left wing bias and kept it impartial. Oh, well, it’s back to watching recordings of Gone Fishing, Repair Shop and Norsemen...”

A third simply wrote: “Roadkill packed with BBC bias.”

“It's always tedious wading through a continuous stream of anti-Tory bias dressed up as drama but this was boring as well. Switched off,” said another.