Suranne Jones left shocked by gruesome discovery in new Channel 4 show

Suranne Jones has revealed a shocking and gruesome discovery that was unearthed while filming her new Channel 4 documentary, Investigating Witch Trials.

The two-part documentary, which is presented by the actress, 45, looks at the most infamous witch trials in history, with Suranne on a mission to discover why so many women were accused and what their story means today.

However, there is one ghastly fact that floored the Doctor Foster star more than others, while she was in Bamberg, Germany – where nearly 20,000 women were tortured and killed as witches.

She told the Mirror: ‘I was shocked to learn about the ‘witch ovens’ that were built so they could get through people’s bodies quicker… they could put four or five people in at a time.’

The Bamberg witch trials of 1627–1632 were one of the biggest mass trials and executions ever seen in Europe, as well as one of the biggest witch trials in history.

The two-part documentary looks at the most infamous witch trials in history, with the actress, 45, on a mission to discover why so many women were accused 

TeamAkers, the production company Suranne owns with her husband Laurence Akers, 50, made the documentary as the actress has always been interested in witches.

In a series of chats with folklorists and academics, she learned the story of the Pendle witches —eight women and two men from Lancashire executed in 1612, after the intervention of King James I. 

She also visits Salem in Massachusetts. It was there in 1692 that 14 women and five men were hanged as witches after young girls began convulsing as if possessed by demons. 

The star was shocked to find out that trials have not really been left in the past and instead have moved onto social media, where women are faced with misogyny and threats.

Suranne made the connection between the bullying and victimisation of women centuries ago and today. ‘Women were silenced,’ she said. ‘It’s still a big issue. 

Feminist campaigner Laura Bates explained to the actress: ‘The witch trials have gone online. There’s so many parallels to what women went through then. There was a horrible form of torture called ‘pricking the witch’.

‘[Now] women are being tortured through the night with the 24/7 bombardment of social media.’

Suranne also realised that some moments from the past resonated with her own life, for example when she would ‘have an opinion’ during her career which resulting in the ‘the atmosphere changing’ and being called ‘too loud’ or ‘too brash’.

Click here to resize this module

The actress shot to fame on ITV soap Coronation Street, but is best known and loved as TV’s feisty cop Rachel Bailey and vengeful Doctor Foster, making her no stranger to strong female characters.

Suranne is now planning to spend more time behind the camera, rather than in front of it. 

She said in December: ‘Me and my husband, we set up our production company and made [new drama] Maryland and we just made our first documentary’.

‘We just got two commissions that will go into production next year. I love it. I’m hoping to eventually make projects that I’m not in. I can have a couple of tea and chill’.

‘It would be good to not do everything. But I’m very excited about our projects next year.’

It comes after Suranne admitted she is ‘constantly trying to balance her life and career as a mother’.

The star recently spoke about how she and her character DCI Amy Silva in BBC’s Vigil are both women constantly striving for more.

Suranne said she and Amy are also both women who are trying to ‘balance’ their lives and careers, and detailed how she too has struggled with ‘anxiety’.

She said: ‘Being a woman who constantly wants to prove herself and feels like a responsibility of many people, when we’re out filming and when crews are doing lots for us – I think Amy and I share that.

‘I have a child. I share that [with Amy]. I’m constantly trying to balance my life and my career. I share that.’

Investigating Witch Trials is available to stream now on Channel 4 All4