Monica Dolan: ‘What frightened me most was the children no one even noticed had gone missing’
A.As she prepares to play serial killer Rosemary West, famed actor Monica Dolan has spoken movingly about investigating the case of missing teenagers “who no one noticed were gone”.
The Bafta-winning star shared how he was affected by the revelations, which have triggered “nightmares about young people’s faces” as he becomes the latest star in a row. IndependentSafeCall campaign.
Alongside the charity Missing People, with whom Ms. Dolan has worked closely since her days playing for West, the publication is raising money to launch a vital new service for children in crisis.
he said Independent: “One of the things that really struck me about this case was that some of these young people had been missing for 20 years or more and no one was looking for them, no one even noticed they were gone. That affected me more than the violence. I think that’s something I learned while doing this.”
The 56-year-old urged the public to donate to the appeal as momentum builds behind efforts to set up a free, 24-hour service, which has raised more than £75,000 to date.
donate Here or text SAFE to 70577 to donate £10 to Missing People, enough for one child to get help.
After starring in the 2011 ITV soap, Ms Dolan became an ambassador for Missing People, the UK’s only charity dedicated to reuniting missing people with their loved ones. Suitable Adultalongside Dominic West, who plays her character’s husband, Fred.
“Rosemary and Fred West targeted young people aged 16 to 25. They would have done so partly deliberately,” he said.
“Of course, what I’ve learned from working with Missing People and doing this project is what a vulnerable time 16 to 25 is. Because you’re not a child anymore and people don’t see you as a child, but you can be very vulnerable to exploitation.”
Of the role’s impact on him, he said: “It was very creepy. I remember waking up one morning and having a nightmare about teenagers’ faces because I was reading books with their pictures in them.”
Ms Dolan won the Bafta award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance and used her acceptance speech in 2012 to highlight the plight of West’s victims. The pair, who are among Britain’s most notorious serial killer couples, raped, tortured and murdered at least ten young women and girls at their home in Cromwell Street, Gloucester, between 1973 and 1987. However, many of the victims were not even reported missing at the time of their disappearance. In her speech, Ms. Dolan said: “I would like to live in a world where everyone is missed.”
he said Independent: “The scariest and creepiest thing is that people don’t realize when it happens. [others] loss. It says something profound about how much we value the people in our society and culture. “I think there are a lot of invisible people out there.”
Ms Dolan visited Missing Persons’ offices immediately after this conversation and was “impressed” by the range of work being done, from one team trying to trace a hand found at sea to others launching legal battles. He also saw the confidential helpline room but was not allowed in, stressing that the charity provides vital support not only to missing people but also to their loved ones.
“The variety and intensity of work done at Missing People; don’t underestimate the value of where your money can go and what it can do,” Ms Dolan said.
“For the families of missing people, the support and care that Missing People can provide them is invaluable. Think about how you wake up every morning asking yourself questions… I’ve heard stories of Missing People literally keeping them going… they are in a state of great uncertainty, grief, and trying to find an end to that pain is very difficult.”
Around 900 people are reported missing every day in the UK, including around 600 teenagers, and more than 430,000 people are affected by the disappearance of a child each year. According to the latest figures from the National Crime Agency, 160,000 people were reported missing in nearly 330,000 incidents in 2023-2024. Of these, 72,000 were children and approximately 210,000 had disappeared in separate incidents.
Highlighting the pressures young people face and the lifeline SafeCall can offer, Ms Dolan said: “A lot of people don’t have that, they have someone who actually listens to them… My hope is that these young people will grow in self-confidence, hear what they need and have that validated, and think, ‘Yes, I’m valuable.’
“Children and young people have the opportunity to be safe if they can reach the right person. This is truly money well spent.”
Ms. Dolan also emphasized that if an issue is missing when properly addressed, other potential warning signs can be uncovered.
“Looking at the people who disappeared and why they disappeared can reveal a lot,” he said. “We need to take care of it.”
Please donate now To the Independent and Missing Persons’ Safe Call campaign, which aims to raise £165,000 to create a free, nationwide service to help vulnerable children find safety and support.
If you or a loved one is lost, text or call the charity Missing People on 116 000 for advice, support and options. It’s free, confidential and non-judgmental. Or visit www.missingpeople.org.uk/get-help
