Channel 4 has commissioned Wonderhood Studios to produce a documentary film charting the life of Angel Lynn, a young woman who suffered severe life-changing injuries whilst trying to escape an abusive relationship.

The film seeks to give victims of coercive control a voice and uses text messages, social media posts, photos and ‘phone calls between Angel and her abusive boyfriend, to reveal how a loving daughter became trapped in an abusive relationship, resulting in her nearly dying after she was kidnapped.

Kidnapped: The Angel Lynn Story (w/t) has exclusive access to Angel’s parents Nikki and Paddy, together with other members of her family and closest friends from school and work. The film follows her rehabilitation and gradual recovery from the serious injuries she suffered as a result of falling from a van at high speed, as her family hopes she may be able to remember and communicate the details about the events leading up to her injuries.

Angel Lynn was a hard-working 18-year-old college student from Loughborough with ambitions to become a forensic scientist. She was a bubbly, adventurous daughter, close to her parents, and had always shared what was going on in her life with her family and friends. However, her life changed forever when she started a relationship with Chay Bowskill; it soon started to become increasingly coercive, controlling, as well as mentally abusive. At one point, Bowskill was sent to prison during their relationship, where Angel remained in contact with him by phone. When he was released, their relationship continued and the texts, which Angel showed to her friends, became ever more abusive, threatening, and constant, and she began to withdraw from those closest to her.

Eventually, after she claimed that Bowskill had injured her by violently throwing her against a wall, Angel took the brave decision to leave him. What happened next is unclear, but Bowskill subsequently bundled her into a van driven by a friend, and Angel fell out of it while it was travelling at approximately 60mph. They drove off leaving her in the middle of the road.

Despite doctors telling Nikki and Paddy that she would likely not survive, Angel’s condition improved from a coma, and she has since then been making a slow recovery, including recently taking some small steps, but she still remains unable to communicate to the police or her family what actually happened to her. Bowskill denied that he was responsible, or that he had been abusive and controlling, and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison, later increased to 12, for engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour, kidnapping and perverting the course of justice.

Will Rowson, Commissioning Editor said: “Angel and her family have been so brave, choosing to share their story in the hope it will help others. Chloe and the team have produced something powerful and affecting which I hope repays the trust they placed in us.”

Samantha Anstiss, Chief Creative Officer, Wonderhood Studios added: “Horrifyingly one woman is killed every three days in the UK as a result of domestic abuse so sadly, Angel’s story will be familiar to many other women and their families across the UK. Through using Angel’s own text messages, social media posts and her conversations with friends and family in our film, Kidnapped: The Angel Lynn Story (w/t) provides a window into how what starts off as a love story can go horribly wrong, as coercion and control turns abusive, and victims feel trapped and too scared to escape.”

Kidnapped: The Angel Lynn Story (w/t) is directed by award-winning Chloe Fairweather (Dying to Divorce, Scouting for Girls), produced by Alison Cain, and the executive producers are Wonderhood’s Head of Factual Programmes Katharine Patrick (The Devil’s Advocate, Baby Surgeons) and James W. Newton (Baby Surgeons, Super Surgeons: A Chance at Life). The film is edited by Simon Mason and the animation is by Blind Pig. The production manager is Tracy Martin, and Lianne Hickey is head of production. It was commissioned by Will Rowson and is being distributed by Freemantle.