The police officer who was poisoned by novichok has hit back at ‘negativity’ aimed at his wife on social media over her handling of the attack as portrayed in the second latest episode of the BBC drama ‘The Salisbury Poisonings’.
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey publicly defended his wife Sarah after her portrayal in the latest episode of the hit series, which aired on Sunday night.
Sarah, played by actress Annabel Scholey, learns that DS Bailey had unknowingly contaminated their home after returning from carrying out his investigation of a chemical weapons attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March 2018.
In a panic, she searches the home for their pet cat, angrily tells the liaison officers to ‘p*** off’ and pours herself a glass of white wine.
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey publicly defended his wife Sarah after her portrayal in the second episode of the BBC series ‘The Salisbury Poisonings’, aired on Sunday night
DS Nick Bailey pictured with his wife Sarah Bailey, who are portrayed by actors Rafe Spall and Annabel Scholey respectively for the hit BBC drama
DS Bailey and Sarah portrayed by Rafe Spall and Annabel Scholey respectively for the BBC
However, some Twitter accounts were quick to ridicule Sarah’s portrayal, with one user commenting: ‘So you come home from hospital after finding out your husband ‘Mr Sweaaty Bed’ who collapsed on the floor, has been poisoned by Novichok.
‘So after kissing him goodbye, you go home to your kids sleeping in the same bed and decide to jump in to! #TheSalisburyPoisonings’.
Another posted ‘change the bloomin bed linen’ while a third said: ‘Yeah let’s drink from a glass in a house potentially covered in life ending toxin’.
However, DS Bailey took to Twitter to slam ‘armchair experts’ criticising his wife Sarah’s handling of the 2018 nerve agent attack.
DS Nick Bailey pictured with his wife Sarah Bailey, who are portrayed by actors Rafe Spall and Annabel Scholey respectively for the hit BBC drama
Twitter accounts were quick to ridicule Sarah’s portrayal as she learns that DS Bailey had unknowingly contaminated their house after his investigation of the Skripals in March 2018
DS Bailey had unknowingly contaminated their home after returning from carrying out his investigation of a chemical weapons attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March 2018
The Wiltshire police officer said: ‘I’ve seen quite a bit of negativity towards my wife regarding episode 2 and the way she handled it.
‘Those scenes with Sarah could never truly reflect the extreme emotion and trauma she went through that day. Cut her some slack and be kind.’
In response, dozens of Twitter accounts praised DS Bailey and Sarah.
One posted: ‘Yes, well said. She must of been going through hell. Trying to protect you, your two girls and herself must of been so hard.’
Another commented: ”I’d hope also that reasonable people would realise that this is dramatised and not a minute by minute reconstruction of every single event.
‘But some people aren’t reasonable.’
DS Bailey (portrayed by actor Rafe Spall) pictured in the BBC drama ‘The Salisbury Poisonings’
DS Bailey posted on Twitter: ‘I’ve seen quite a bit of negativity towards my wife regarding episode 2 and the way she handled it. ‘Those scenes with Sarah could never truly reflect the extreme emotion and trauma she went through that day. Cut her some slack and be kind’
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey (left), who was poisoned by the nerve agent novichok in 2018, is being portrayed by the actor Rafe Spall (right) in the BBC drama
Following a growing backlash on Twitter to Sarah’s behaviour as dramatised by the BBC, Sarah Bailey took to social media to clarify that she ‘changed the bed (twice)’
DS Nick Bailey pictured with his wife Sarah Bailey, who are portrayed by actors Rafe Spall and Annabel Scholey respectively for the hit BBC drama
A third wrote: ”Typical twitter armchair experts, ignore. No one can ever know how they would react in that position where losing your husband was a very real threat. Wishing you and family well and thank you for your continued service.’
Another commented: ‘What you guys went through is my worst nightmare. You’re both incredible, don’t let anyone tell you any different.’
In the second episode, Sarah also has to cope with her husband’s name being revealed by Wiltshire Police and broadcast on BBC News.
She also consoles their two daughters about DS Bailey’s condition, and is told that doctors are considering putting him into an induced coma.
Dozens of Twitter accounts praised DS Bailey and Sarah after watching the second episode
Novichok had been used in March 2018 in Salisbury in the attempted assassination of former Russian double agent Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
The British government accused Russia of attempted murder and announced a series of measures against Moscow including the expulsion of diplomats. Over 150 diplomats were expelled by nearly 30 other countries.
According to British intelligence, agents of Russia’s military intelligence (GRU) Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin were behind the Skripal poisonings.
The Wiltshire police officer said: ‘I’ve seen quite a bit of negativity towards my wife regarding episode 2 and the way she handled it. ‘Those scenes with Sarah could never truly reflect the extreme emotion and trauma she went through that day. Cut her some slack and be kind’
DS Bailey had unknowingly contaminated their home after returning from carrying out his investigation of a chemical weapons attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March 2018
‘The Salisbury Poisonings’ follows the aftermath of the poisonings of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
According to British intelligence, agents of Russia’s military intelligence (GRU) Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin were behind the Skripal poisonings
The incident further strained relations between London and Moscow, with tensions already high as the pair back competing factions in wars in Syria and Ukraine.
Last November, the Soviet-era nerve agent novichok was added to the OPCW global chemical weapons watchdog’s list of banned toxins.
BBC1’s ‘The Salisbury Poisonings’ is a three-part TV drama which retells the events that occurred in Salisbury during 2018.
It is being broadcast between June 14 and June 16.