Angela Black ending explained: Everything we know about the show's finale

This ITV drama has enjoyed renewed interest after arriving on Netflix, and viewers now want to have the Angela Black ending explained.

Angela Black first aired on ITV in October 2021, but it was recently added to Netflix, introducing new viewers to the six-part series. It tells the story of Angela (Joanne Froggart) and her relationship with her husband Olivier (Michiel Huisman), shining a light on domestic abuse and leaving fans hooked on its many twists and turns.

Much like TV fans wanted more information on the dark drama Obsession's ending, which also aired on Netflix, as well as the For Her Sins ending explained after the psychological thriller entranced Channel 5 viewers, many are now asking the same of the Angela Black ending.

Angela Black ending explained

At the end of Angela Black, Angela gets revenge on her husband Olivier, by joining forces with Theo and framing him for GBH. We then find out that Olivier is likely to be convicted, and Angela is able to move on with her life and retain custody of the children. 

The start of episode six of Angela Black picks up just after Angela works out her husband's plan to take full custody of their children, tricking the police by making it look like Angela is having a psychotic episode.

Angela takes her boys out of school and runs away to Wales with them, but Olivier finds them and takes them back, after tracking them via Angela's mobile phone. 

Angela then decides to frame Olivier, and tracks down Theo - the man who pretended to be a hitman - offering him her engagement ring in exchange for helping her get revenge on Olivier.

Angela breaks into Mantle Motors and begins attacking the premises with a crowbar, but when Theo and Olivier arrive, Theo turns on him. He attacks Olivier but makes it look like he is the one who was assaulted. When the police arrive, Angela tosses the crowbar into Olivier's hands, framing him for GBH.

Olivier is then arrested and is shown CCTV footage of him assaulting his wife in the porch of their house, unravelling his previous lies.

Later on, Angela gets back in contact with Theo and reveals she had spoken to Craig Mantle, an old associate of Theo's, and tracked down a gang member that Theo had put behind bars by giving a false testimony.

There is then a loud banging on Theo's door, as Angela tells him that his past has finally caught up with him and hangs up the phone.

The final scene of the series shows Angela in the park with the boys. Angela finds out that Olivier's bail has been refused and he is likely to be convicted.

Is Angela Black based on a true story?

Angela Black is not based on a true story, though it was inspired by the stories of real women who have experienced domestic abuse. The writers, Jack and Harry Williams, spoke to consultants and staff in shelters to ensure the show reflected these experiences.

Jack told ITV: "I think the key thing is that this is something that happens a lot, but people do not always understand or read about it. I think it is very easy to watch shows about abuse and go, 'Well… I'd just leave'. It is not as simple."

Harry added: "It was important that we do it justice and that we were accurate about the psychology of the abused and the abuser, both sides of the story. It was important to try and be truthful with it."

The 2021 show came at a time when a rise in domestic abuse cases was observed during the pandemic. Domestic abuse charity Refuge found that between April 2020 and February 2021 calls and contacts logged on Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline were up by an average of 61%.

The series' star Joanne Froggart told PA: "Jack and Harry have written a very timely story and an important story. It would be amazing if somebody out there sat there and went, 'This makes me feel less alone'."

Jack and Harry Williams are also the writers behind Baptiste, Liar, Fleabag, and Back to Life.

Will there be an Angela Black season 2?

No, there won't be a season 2 of Angela Black. Joanne Froggart previously told Metro, "This is a one and only six-part series."

She added: "I think by the time we go through those six episodes, we get a very satisfying conclusion. You don’t need to revisit, I think we’ll all have been through enough shocks and surprises and twists and turns."

Some viewers also needed the Succession ending explained; the powerful but complex drama will leave a void in many viewing schedules. The Ted Lasso ending was the perfect end to the perfect comedy, and all at Richmond AFC will be missed. Those who made it to the Firefly Lane ending might still be crying - it was one of the saddest ends to a TV show we've ever seen.