![](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/SEC_172780361-7fc8.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The frustrating five-year hunt for Peter Sutcliffe, who is often referred to as the Yorkshire Ripper, has been made into an ITV drama series called The Long Shadow.<\/p>\n
The true crime aims to put the\u00a013 victims, their families, and the investigative team at the centre of the story, rather than the horrendous crimes committed by Sutcliffe, who was caught and arrested in 1981 and died in 2020. <\/p>\n
In order to ensure that happened, the people behind the TV production heavily researched the incidents and called on people who have memories of the case. <\/p>\n
This included Richard Hoban, who is the son of DCS Dennis Hoban \u2013 the man who is credited as one of the first people to link multiple murders and decipher that they were attributed to one serial killer, and then originally led the case.<\/p>\n
Around the start of 2020, Richard, 72, received a message from the team planning to make the show, which includes writer George Kay, director Lewis Arnold and producer Matt Sandford. Soon after, Richard along with other people who were connected with the\u00a0inquiries were all invited to meet at the Radisson Hotel in Leeds, and \u2018chatted away for hours\u2019. <\/p>\n
\u2018My reaction was I would help in any way, shape, or form. I\u2019ll always do what I can to continue my dad\u2019s amazing legacy. <\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/metro-parent\/img\/fallback.png\")
<\/p>\n
\u2018I am privileged to have a dad who was involved in such a high-profile case which was a tiny part of his incredible career,\u2019 the retired deputy head teacher told Metro.co.uk.<\/strong><\/p>\n Hoban died in 1978, at the age of 56, meaning he didn\u2019t live to see Sutcliffe put behind bars. <\/p>\n Richard, who was in his late twenties at the time of his death added: \u2018If nothing else, it helps me to keep my personal memories of him alive. Even chatting with you now is amazing. <\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019ll be buzzing for the rest of the day. I always want to speak about my dad. It\u2019s cathartic.\u2019<\/p>\n Richard has been given early access and has already watched the first five episodes of The Long Shadow, and was impressed with Toby Jones, 57, who played his dad. <\/p>\n \u2018It was almost like I was watching my dad at some points. It is kind of surreal,\u2019 he shared.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s a magnificent performance. The characterisation of my dad is absolutely superb. He\u2019s captured my dad\u2019s assertiveness, incredible observation skills, and analytical mind. <\/p>\n \u2018He also had so much empathy for victims, which comes across. <\/p>\n \u2018My dad would always be checking in on people to make sure they were alright and if he found out people didn\u2019t have food on the table, he would help with finances.<\/p>\n \u2018He would never get angry.\u00a0When I did something wrong as a child, my dad would still speak gently.\u2019<\/p>\n Richard has been so impressed by the portrayal that he\u2019s sent a message to Toby expressing his extreme gratitude.<\/p>\n While he wishes he could give the series, which also stars Katherine Kelly as Emily Jackson, and Charley Webb as WPC Anna Lawson, \u2018all the awards\u2019.<\/p>\n A particular scene in the new ITV series has come directly from Richard\u2019s memories. <\/p>\n \u2018I rambled to the team about my dad a lot, and one of the things I told them about was our Christmas days.<\/p>\n \u2018On the day, we\u2019d always open our presents in the morning and once we\u2019d unwrapped everything, my dad would make us pick two presents to donate to people who hadn\u2019t had particularly easy lives.<\/p>\n \u2018We\u2019d have our dinner, and then every year he got a call to go to work. <\/p>\n \u2018It got to a point where I associated Christmas Day with a murder taking place. I eventually found out that he was just getting someone to call him so he could go to work.<\/p>\n \u2018I told this story and it\u2019s been included. I know that the scene could have only come from me as I\u2019m the last living family member. I think it\u2019s lovely that they listened to me.\u2019<\/p>\n Another important scene for Richard was his dad\u2019s death. Hoban went into the hospital with a bad cough, and during an endoscopy, he had a heart attack and never regained consciousness.<\/p>\n \u2018It brought a tear to my eye. I can\u2019t deny that,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n \u2018I thought it was done really sensitively on the programme, which I appreciated. It shows DCS Jim Hobson [played by Lee Ingleby], who was one of my dad\u2019s best friends, ringing George Oldfield [played by David Morrissey] to tell him that Dennis had died.<\/p>\n \u2018ITV have really looked after me through this process to make sure I\u2019m okay. Their duty of care to the people involved has been outstanding.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n