The U.K.’s Channel4has commissioned Wonderhood Studios to produce a documentary film charting the life of Angel Lynn, a young woman who suffered severe life-changing injuries while trying to escape an abusive relationship.
The life of Lynn, an 18-year-old college student from Loughborough with ambitions to become a forensic scientist, changed forever when she started a relationship with Chay Bowskill – it soon started to become increasingly coercive, controlling, as well as mentally abusive. Eventually, after she claimed that Bowskill had injured her by violently throwing her against a wall, Lynn took the decision to leave him. While what happened next is unclear, Lynn apparently fell out of a van driven by Bowskill.
Lynn’s condition improved from a coma, and she has since then been making a slow recovery, including recently taking some small steps, but she still remains unable to communicate to the police or her family what actually happened to her. Bowskill denied that he was responsible, or that he had been abusive and controlling, and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison, later increased to 12, for engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour, kidnapping and perverting the course of justice.
“Kidnapped: The Angel Lynn Story” (working title) has exclusive access to Angel’s parents and other members of her family and closest friends from school and work. The film follows her rehabilitation and gradual recovery from the serious injuries she suffered as a result of falling from a van at high speed. It is directed by award-winning Chloe Fairweather (“Dying to Divorce”), produced by Alison Cain, and the executive producers are Wonderhood’s head of factual programs Katharine Patrick (“The Devil’s Advocate”) and James W. Newton (“Baby Surgeons”). It was commissioned by Will Rowson and is being distributed by Freemantle.
Will Rowson, commissioning editor at Channel 4, said: “Angel and her family have been so brave, choosing to share their story in the hope it will help others. Chloe and the team have produced something powerful and affecting which I hope repays the trust they placed in us.”
Samantha Anstiss, chief creative officer, Wonderhood Studios, added: “Horrifyingly one woman is killed every three days in the U.K. as a result of domestic abuse so sadly, Angel’s story will be familiar to many other women and their families across the U.K.. Through using Angel’s own text messages, social media posts and her conversations with friends and family in our film, ‘Kidnapped: The Angel Lynn Story’ provides a window into how what starts off as a love story can go horribly wrong, as coercion and control turns abusive, and victims feel trapped and too scared to escape.”
