The real people behind the Horizon scandal featured in ITV's Mr Bates vs. The Post Office

Former sub-postmaster Alan Bates, played in the drama by Toby Jones, and partner Suzanne had high hopes when, in 1999, they opened their own shop with a post office counter in Llandudno.

Alan first became aware of issues with Horizon when his books showed a shortage of £6,000, with multiple duplicated transactions pointing toward a serious error. The Post Office ended up terminating Alan's contract regardless in 2003, claiming that £1,200 was still unaccounted for. Alan and Suzanne lost their Post Office counter, as well as investment money worth approximately £60,000.

He refused to let the situation lie and was the driving force behind the campaign. Now retired, he continues his work to help Post Office workers fighting for justice.

Jess Kaur

Jess Kaur who is identified as Saman in the ITV series and played by actres Krupa Pattani, owned a Post Office in Aldridge, near Walsall. In 2009, she was taken to court and accused of theft by the organisation.

The case was later thrown out, but not before she suffered a complete mental breakdown and tried to commit suicide.

Speaking to ITV News, Ms Kaur explained that she was sectioned but that whilst she was in hospital, she attempted to kill herself again.

Doctors decided to apply electroconvulsive therapy to her brain, but as a result she lost all memory of her childhood.

"Even until today I'm still on a lot of medication. I might not look like I'm ill to a lot of people but I'm suffering very badly with PTSD," Ms Kaur said. If I walk past a Post Office I feel sick. This was my life, it was going to be for my children's future and they've taken that away from me."

Jo Hamilton

Played by Monica Dolan, she was appointed as sub-postmaster at a village shop in South Warnborough, Hampshire, in 2003. When she began experiencing issues with Horizon, Jo assumed it was on account of her own mistakes, and even began using her own personal finance to pay it off. In desperation, Jo remortgaged her home twice and ended up with a mountain of debt.

Unable to confide in her family during this dark time, Jo was fired when, in 2006, £10,000 was missing. Eventually, she was charged with theft of more than £36,000 and appeared in court two years later. She ended up accepting a lesser charge of false accounting, with the understanding that she wouldn't serve prison time if she paid the money back. After joining the campaign, her conviction was overturned.

Lee Castleton

The postmaster, played by actor Will Mellow, bought a post office in Bridlington, Yorkshire, in 2003.

But he began noticing discrepancies in his accounts, and within a year his computer system showed a £25,000 shortfall. Across the same time frame, Mr Castleton made 91 calls to the Post Office's helpline to raise his concerns over the faulty system, but claims he was dismissed.

He was taken to court by the Post Office and was ordered to repay the money plus an additional £321,000, which bankrupted him.

"The impacts for the family were huge, we were ostracised in the place that we lived and it was just very difficult," he shared.