Jane Carter Woodrow
criminologist · scriptwriter · author · playwright · Media Appearances
Television & Theatre
Screenwriter drama and drama-docs, including episodes of The Bill, In Suspicious Circumstances, Coronation Street, and for the BBC, The Thieving Headmistress, starring Pauline Quirke and Denis Lawson. She regularly appears on TV as an expert in crime documentaries including for ITN World's Most Notorious KillersThe West Murders (2024) shown in the US, and Power, Lies & Corruption: The Hoffa Disappearance (2024) for Peacock TV in the US, about the union boss and the Mafia. Also in several episodes of The Truth About My Murder (2024), Fred West: The Glasgow Girls a 3-part crime series on Sky, Born To Kill (Channel 5), Crimes that Shook Britain (Crime and Investigation Channel), Channel 5 Rose: Making of a Monster (2021), and many others. She also comments on homicide on ITV and SKY news.
Fred West: The Glasgow Girls
Three part TV series telling the story of Fred West's time in Glasgow and revealing for the first time the lives of his first young victims: first wife Rena Costello, his young mistress Anne McFall and Rena's young daughter Charmaine.
WHACK-A-MOLE Audio version. Also for Stage
Likened to a female BREAKING BAD set in the fens, this black comedy thriller is about three generations of women, one of whom, Rachel, works as a music teacher whilst also struggling to care for her elderly mother and disabled daughter. When the answer to her prayers appears in the form of a windfall, she is left with a moral dilemma.
Starring Michelle Collins, with Nitin Ganatra (Masood, EastEnders) Linda Marlow (Sylvie Carter, EastEnders) and poem intro by JLS's Oritse Williams, this digital recording will streamed at the Cambridge Junction w/c 20th September and has been performed at venues in London and the East.
VOICES
Currently in development, this monologues play has evolved from the interviews Jane has conducted over a number of years with participants with enduring mental health issues living in the community. It is part 1 of a trilogy and had a first reading at The Cambridge Junction Theatre. ACE funded.
LIFER: A WOMAN OF PRINCIPLE
Dusting off the shadows of the past as she contemplates the possibility of parole after decades in prison, Mel reflects on her life and the murders that have brought her here, whilst still holding fast to her principles. Jane's full-length one woman play, LIFER, stars Michelle Collins, with an introduction by poet, Lady Unchained. Audio and stage version with readings and audio in London, Northampton and Cambridge, and in HMP Styal.
Arts Council England funded.
Listen to an excerpt >>
SUMMAT'S HAPPENED
'Fantastic! The actors were superb and the characters and script brilliant.'
Jane's new full-length stage play tells the story of 17-year-old Neil Jackson from Leeds, whose mum Emily became the second victim of serial killer the Yorkshire Ripper. Always close to his mum since an earlier tragedy, Neil takes us through his personal journey as the Ripper continues his killing spree.
'A tragedy yet with humour and healing at the heart of it, wonderfully told.'
Directed by Andrew Pritchard and starring James Jack Bentham and Francesca Larkin, it has been to Sheffield, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Cambridge Junction and Sheffield Theatres. Neil and Jane are happy to answer questions at the end of sessions.
CRIME
Jane has a PhD in Criminology and a Master of Philosophy from Cambridge University, and a first degree from London University. She has been a research fellow and associate for a number of years researching into women and crime. She writes crime drama for TV and crime drama and black comedy for stage. She also appears in TV documentaries.
Books
After Evil
AS FEATURED IN THE NETFLIX SERIES "THE RIPPER"
Emily was one of the Yorkshire Ripper's victims, he was the boy left behind.
Everything seemed perfect in Neil Jackson's childhood until one day he was awoken by the police knocking on the door to break the shocking news that his mum had become the victim of a serial killer.
Published by Hodder & Stoughton
More information Amazon listing
Rose West: the Making of a Monster
AS FEATURED IN CHANNEL 5 DOCUMENTARY ROSE: THE MAKING OF A MONSTER
Although it's hard to believe now, Rose West was an exceptionally beautiful little girl. What happened to that little girl to make her capable of such horrific crimes?
Published by Hodder & Stoughton
More information Amazon listing
Between Two Worlds: a Detevive Hoban Novel
Jane's first novel set in the 1960s is based on the real life of a young maverick Leeds detective, and his family life.
"When Detective Chief Super Hoban spots a man he was sure was dead, he chases after him and starts a chain of events that leads him into the web of the Leed's underworld."
£2.99 Kindle Edition
Between Two Worlds won an honorary award at the San Francisco Book Festival 2015
The Wishlist
A young, forensic psychiatrist working at a Californian asylum for the criminally insane, crosses off names on her wish list of those who deserve to die. Written under the name of Clarky. (Winning best unpublished book at the time at the Hollywood Festival)
Whack-A-Mole Stage version
The play, likened to a female Breaking Bad set in the fens, is a black comedy about three generations of women, one of whom cares for the other two. Windfall thriller
With initial readings at HighTide Theatre Company London and Cambridge Junction Theatre, it toured in 2019 with CAE, featuring Heather Coombs (Brexit: An Uncivil War, Call the Midwife) Jennifer Thompson (The Mountain Bluebird), Mo Power (Billy Elliot the Musical, Victoria Palace Theatre, London), John Shields (Macbeth WNAT). Directed by Andrew Pritchard.
CONTACT
Repped by Literary agent
Ed Wilson
Johnson & Alcock
West Wing, Somerset House
Strand
London WC2R 1LA
www.johnsonandalcock.co.uk
Jane has a new book in development about the young life of a 12-year-old carer, Oritse Williams, who learned music and to sing in order to help find a cure to make his sick mother better, forming the multi award winning boyband, JLS, in the process.