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Honour fans left in tears after heartbreaking final episode

The story focuses on the murder of Banaz Mahmood


honour keeley© Photo: ITV
Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
September 30, 2020
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ITV's Honour came to a conclusion on Tuesday evening and it was clearly a difficult watch for viewers at home. The two-part drama was centred on the tragic true story of Banaz Mahmood, who was murdered in 2006 for falling in love with the wrong man. It seems the programme, which stars Line of Duty actor Keeley Hawes, left many watching feeling emotional as the story came to its shocking conclusion.

MORE: Honour - the real story behind the ITV drama

WATCH: Keeley Hawes stars in ITV's Honour

One person wrote: "It's heartbreaking to see what she went through. There is, and will never be honour in honour killings. It's important to remember that evil practices do not define an entire culture or belief system. #BanazMahmod #Honour."

itv honour 1© Photo: ITV

A second person tweeted: "Feeling so sad. Prayers for the beautiful, sweet and lovely #Banaz Folded. May she rest in peace. #Honour #HonourOnITV #BanazMahmod #honourkilling." A third echoed this, commenting: "As rightly said in the drama based on Banaz's murder there is no #Honour in 'honour' killings. Just dishonour. Absolutely heartbreaking."

Other viewers were particularly taken aback by the real life story of Caroline's fight for justice in Banaz's name. "Caroline Goode!? I couldn't believe the closing information. What a woman! Fantastic drama played brilliantly by everyone," wrote another fan of the show.

MORE: Honour's Keeley Hawes recalls moment her son was 'caught up in Parsons Green terror attack'

MORE: Honour viewers saying the same thing about ITV drama

Speaking about her role in the series in a recent Q&A, Keeley explained the pressure and responsibility she felt while playing DCI Goode and portraying such a harrowing true story on screen.

She told HELLO! and other press: "We had no idea when we started making the show that lockdown would come about and it would become all the more important to tell this story, and to put it onto the screen, and to educate a mainstream audience."

itv honour© Photo: ITV

Banaz was an Iraqi Kurdish woman who lived in South London. After spending two years in a forced, abusive arranged marriage with a man ten years older than herself, Banaz began a relationship with a partner of her own choosing, Rahmat Sulemani. Her decision to leave her husband and begin a new relationship displeased her family, who believed she had brought 'shame' onto the family.

On 24 January 2006, Banaz was attacked at her home by her three cousins, who subjected her to torture before killing her. Speaking about the lack of police response before Banaz's death, IPCC Commissioner Nicola Williams, said: "Banaz Mahmod was a young woman who lost her life in terrible circumstances.

"It is clear that the police response was at best mixed... There were delays in investigations, poor supervision, a lack of understanding and insensitivity."

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