More than two decades after 14-year-old Charlene Downes vanished from Blackpool, a new podcast aims to cut through the rumours and failures that have shrouded the case. Nicola Thorp, an actor and campaigner who grew up in the town, has spent three years investigating the disappearance for the series Charlene: Somebody Knows Something. She describes the unsolved case, widely considered a murder, as 'a wound for Blackpool'.
Thorp was motivated by anger at how Charlene had been reduced to a 'salacious, shocking story'—the false allegation that her body was made into kebab meat by two Middle Eastern men tried in 2007. That trial collapsed amid 'grave doubts' about the evidence, and the men later received compensation for false imprisonment. Yet many locals still believe they got away with murder, an obstacle Thorp says prevents finding the real culprit.
The podcast also addresses the persistent racist narrative around the case, evidence that Charlene may have been a victim of grooming gangs or abused closer to home, and exploitation by far-right figures. In January, Elon Musk retweeted a post repeating the kebab story, viewed over 5.7 million times. Thorp, known for her role on Coronation Street and her successful campaign against sexist dress codes, says the series had to have a campaigning edge.
Thorp’s research brought her into contact with Charlene’s family, potential new leads, police, and far-right activists. She notes that even the missing-person poster was mishandled—using a school photo from age 11, so people searched for an 11-year-old, not a 14-year-old. Thorp believes class played a key role: while she had a stable home, Charlene’s family was under social services, and her younger brother was taken into care after her disappearance.
The eight-part podcast aims to 'bring people out of the woodwork' and expose how Charlene was repeatedly failed by those around her. Thorp hopes it will finally clear up speculation and push for justice in a case that has haunted Blackpool for over 20 years.
