The upcoming Netflix drama, Toxic Town, tells the gripping tale of mothers who battled for justice and answers concerning their children. Set to premiere on February 27, the series boasts a star-studded cast including Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wood, Claudia Jessie, and Robert Carlyle.
The plot centres around a monumental scandal involving alleged toxic waste mismanagement by the town’s council.
describes the series as a “story of community resilience in the face of institutional negligence and greed – and the power of parents’ love for their children”. The real-life legal battle that inspired the show began in 1999 and spanned a decade before justice was served.
As we anticipate the release of Toxic Town, let’s delve into the true story that sparked this drama.
Inside the true story behind Netflix’s Toxic Town
Toxic Town lead characters with their real-life counterparts. Claudia Jessie with Maggie Mahon (centre left), Aimee Lou Wood with Tracey Taylor (centre) and Jodie Whittaker with Susan McIntyre (centre right) (Image: © 2024 Netflix, Inc.)
From 1984 to 1999, Corby Borough Council embarked on the demolition, excavation, and redevelopment of the former Stewarts and Lloyds site, a massive steelworks plant located in the East Midlands town of Corby, Northamptonshire.
reports how in a desperate bid to save the town from economic collapse after 11,000 steel workers lost their jobs, the council overlooked health and safety measures.
During the clean-up, lorries carrying toxic chemicals—zinc, arsenic, boron, and nickel—were left uncovered, blanketing the town in a thick layer of red dust. Unbeknownst to the residents at the time, this dust was poisonous.
Approximately 200 million tonnes of hazardous waste were transported on open lorries, exposing nearby residents to toxic materials. In the late 1980s and 1990s, a cluster of birth defects emerged among children born in the area, with mothers living in close proximity to one another affected.
Investigations later revealed that 19 children, all born within a 15-year period with upper limb defects, were linked to the toxic waste removal operation. Their mothers reported coming into contact with contaminated dirt from the clean-up site during pregnancy.
Des (Rory Kinnear) represents the affected mothers in Toxic Town. (Image: Netflix)
The families’ persistent campaigning led to a 1999 investigation by Northamptonshire health officials, which initially found no issues. Undeterred, the families continued their fight for justice, supported by solicitor Des Collins.
The case eventually reached the High Court in London, where a judge established a link between atmospheric toxic waste and birth defects in February 2009. The court victory prompted an apology from Corby Borough Council to the affected mothers.
The case, dubbed “the British Erin Brockovich,” was even unknown to Toxic Town writer Jack Thorne, who has worked on notable projects like The Swimmers and His Dark Materials.
Speaking to Tudum, he admitted: “I didn’t know the story,” and added, “I’d never heard of the people involved, and I’d never heard of the case until it was brought to me by [my co-executive producers Annabel Jones and Charlie Brooker].”
Once he delved into the details, Thorne found himself astonished by how the real events naturally mirrored a TV drama’s structure. He remarked, “It had within it a lot of drama,” highlighting the compelling aspects such as “whether it’s the story of the trial itself, or whether it’s the way that these women got together and battled together.”
Are the characters in Toxic Town real or fictional?
Brendan Coyle as Roy in Episode 3 of Toxic Town (Image: Netflix)
The series Toxic Town’ features characters rooted in reality, portraying individuals deeply impacted by a scandalous event. Jodie Whittaker stars as Susan McIntyre, a mother whose son Connor was born with a deformed hand.
Aimee Lou Wood from Sex Education takes on the role of Tracey Taylor, a grieving mother who lost her daughter, Shelby, while Claudia Jessie plays Maggie Mahon, another mother with a child born with a defect.
Jodie Whittaker expressed her profound connection to the material, stating she was “completely gripped” by the narrative and eager to portray Susan McIntyre. She reflected on the powerful theme of the series, saying: “Women fighting for justice for their children is an incredibly inspirational story,” The actress also wanted to honour the real women’s relentless pursuit of justice, noting: “I wanted to pay tribute to the fact that this was a group of women that had to fight so hard for justice, and they didn’t give up despite how long this took and how heartbreaking the fight was.”
Robert Carlyle takes on the role of councillor Sam Hagen, a character who champions the campaign and seeks to unveil the council’s misdeeds. Rory Kinnear, known for his work in James Bond, portrays lawyer Des Collins, the man responsible for building the case against Corby Borough Council.
However, not all characters are based on real individuals. For instance, Roy Thomas from Corby Borough Council is a fictional character, created as an ‘amalgamation’ of various people and perspectives that were present within the council during that period.
Similarly, council leaders Pat Miller and Bill Martin are also products of fiction.