The Ripper documents the crimes of Peter Sutcliffe, otherwise known as the Yorkshire Ripper, and features a soap opera star who was once identified as a possible suspect. In the four-part Netflix docuseries, Bruce Jones recalls his experiences with the case after finding the body of a murder victim in 1977, and appears visibly shaken when discussing the crime scene. However, The Ripper doesn’t fully explain how the case impacted Jones’ personal life, or how it nearly cost him a prominent role on Coronation Street two decades later.
Directed by Jesse Vile, The Ripper centers on the hunt for an English serial killer who terrorized the residents of West Yorkshire and Manchester between 1975 and 1980. The early episodes focus on the initial investigation, most notably the belief that the “Yorkshire Ripper” – the press’ allusion to the 19th century murderer Jack the Ripper – primarily targeted prostitutes. The Netflix series also explores a hoax that altered the trajectory of the investigation, and how English women rallied together after authorities suggested that they had no business being alone at night.
The Ripper episode 2 details the 1977 murder of Jean Jordan, a Manchester prostitute who received £5 from her would-be killer. The financial exchange was significant for investigators, as they were able to track the movements of the note and potentially pinpoint the suspect’s location. After being caught, Sutcliffe revealed that he returned to the crime scene and mutilated the corpse when he couldn’t find the £5. Unfortunately for the aforementioned Jones, he eventually discovered the victim’s remains. The actor describes the gruesome specifics in The Ripper, and states that he’d been looking for bricks on land that he owned. The Ripper identifies Jones with a graphic but doesn’t acknowledge that he was investigated as a potential suspect.
Jones appeared on The Dark Side of Fame with Piers Morgan in October 2008 to discuss the Yorkshire Ripper case and his role as Les Battersby on Coronation Street. While recalling the crime scene, Jones’ demeanor is similar to his later appearance in The Ripper. However, he expands on what happened afterwards, noting that he had nightmares for a year and that his wife left him as well. Jones’ past came back to haunt him after being cast in Coronation Street, as the press discovered that the actor had once been investigated as a potential serial killer. Jones told executives that he didn’t think it was relevant to bring up his association with the Yorkshire Ripper, and he ultimately managed to overcome the scandal and kept his role on Coronation Street for a full decade. While reflecting about the investigation, Jones states, “I thought that I was strong enough to deal with all this, you know, and you’re not.”
In 2009, Jones admitted that he was homeless after spending all of his career earnings and not landing any subsequent work. Now 67 years old, Jones remains a working actor despite a history of alcohol abuse issues, but has primarily appeared in a number of short films. Aside from his famous role as Les Battersby on Coronation Street, Jones is best known for portraying Reg in the 1997 comedy The Full Monty. He was recently cast as Colin Rye in the 2021 feature Cold Sun, a crime thriller directed by Jason Figgis.
