Sometimes, the pressure of a high-profile job can lead to unexpected and painful consequences.
That’s exactly what happened to Andrew Woodhead, a TV executive well-known for his work on shows like Spooks and Law & Order UK.
After facing serious allegations, his life took a dramatic turn that eventually landed him in a mental health facility—and now, a court ruling may bring him some justice.
The Allegations That Changed Everything
Andrew Woodhead was the managing director at Working Title TV UK starting in 2016.
But in November 2019, everything changed.
A writer working with the company accused him of sexual harassment.
She said that Woodhead had used his position of power inappropriately, sharing explicit and unwanted details about his private and sex life, which made her feel uncomfortable.
This complaint came at a time when the #MeToo movement was shining a spotlight on workplace harassment, inspired by revelations about people like Harvey Weinstein.
Woodhead, who is a recovering alcoholic, denied that some of these conversations took place and said others were just innocent chats.
However, after the accusations, he was suspended and never returned to work.
The Impact on Woodhead’s Mental Health
Following the suspension, Woodhead’s health deteriorated.
On December 13, 2019, he was admitted to London’s Nightingale Hospital for mental health treatment.
He was receiving outpatient psychotherapy but remained on sick leave.
His contract was eventually ended in May 2020 due to redundancy.
While Working Title TV settled the writer’s claim against them in June 2020, Woodhead launched his own legal battle.
He claimed that the way the company handled the investigation into the allegations caused him severe psychiatric injury, leading to his breakdown.
What the Court Heard About the Handling of the Case
At the High Court, the judge, Mr Justice Swift, listened closely to Woodhead’s side.
Before his time at Working Title, Woodhead had an impressive career producing major TV dramas and films, including Spooks, Law & Order: UK, and Fortitude.
The court learned that Woodhead was especially vulnerable due to his past alcoholism and fragile mental health.
The judge described a key meeting in November 2019, where Woodhead was confronted about the allegations.
This meeting was “badly handled” and caused him significant trauma.
Doctors noted that this event triggered a relapse in Woodhead’s depressive illness.
Employer’s Duty and the Breach of Care
According to the court, Working Title TV knew about Woodhead’s vulnerability as early as December 4, 2019, from a medical report that highlighted his mental health struggles.
The report warned that any additional stress could be very harmful and that his treatment needed to be effective and ongoing.
Despite this, the company did not inform Woodhead that some of the allegations against him had been dropped or resolved in his favor.
They even continued to push forward with disciplinary actions while he was still on sick leave, ignoring warnings from doctors about his “acute reactive depression and suicidal ideation.”
The judge said that this was a clear breach of the company’s duty to protect Woodhead from psychiatric harm.
How Lack of Communication Made Things Worse
One of the most damaging actions, the court heard, was Working Title’s deliberate decision not to tell Woodhead that some complaints would no longer be pursued.
This left him under the false impression that he was facing the full brunt of the accusations, which added to his stress and emotional distress.
The judge remarked that had Woodhead been properly informed, it might have eased some of the pressure he felt and shown him that the company was listening to his side of the story.
The Court’s Ruling and What Lies Ahead
In the end, the judge ruled in Woodhead’s favor, agreeing that the way Working Title TV handled the situation materially contributed to his mental breakdown.
The case didn’t decide whether the original allegations were true or not—that remains unresolved—but focused on the employer’s responsibility in managing the process fairly and with care.
Woodhead is now expected to receive compensation for the psychiatric injury he suffered, with the exact amount to be determined in a future hearing unless a settlement is reached beforehand.