Ian Wright leads praise for BBC Windrush drama 'Sitting In Limbo', starring his cousin Patrick Robinson

Ian Wright confessed he felt “helpless” and heartbroken watching new BBC drama Sitting In Limbo.

The former footballer and sports presenter was among viewers sharing their frustration about the Windrush scandal which was told through the true story of Anthony Bryan, a Jamaican man who was wrongfully detained by the Home Office when trying to apply for a British passport after living in the UK for 50 years.

Bryan was played in the feature-length drama by former Casualty star Patrick Robinson, 56, who is coincidentally Wright’s cousin.

Wright, 56, tweeted: “We know the story and this is still so f**king heartbreaking to watch #SittingInLimbo”

“The helplessness. Have you ever been so helpless. #SittingInLimbo”

Read more: Patrick Robinson ‘Windrush scandal drama needs to be seen by white people’

Wright – who also tweeted a series of angry emojis with the hashtag #SittingInLimbo – praised his cousin’s performance, writing: “So proud of my cousin Pat The lead actor in #SittingInLimbo. The shocking true story of Anthony Bryan and the Windrush scandal in this country.”

Fellow ex-footballer Gary Lineker also shared his frustration about the Windrush scandal after watching the drama.

He tweeted: “Scandal is not a strong enough word for what this country did to the Windrush generation. It’s utterly shameful. A national disgrace. #SittingInLimbo.”

TV presenter Baroness Floella Benjamin, 70, also had an emotional reaction to the TV film.

She wrote: “I’m watching #SittingInLimbo and even though I know the story my heart is in my mouth and I’m weeping #windrushscandal #BlackLivesMatter @BBC1.”

And former EastEnders actor Gary Webster tweeted: “#SittingInLimbo Amazing performance from my old drama school mate #PatrickRobinson brilliantly supported by all the cast & crew Seething with anger & frustration at this shameful episode in UK history. Who has voted for this Govt for last 10 yrs? WHO?? #Shameful.”

Blue’s Antony Costa wrote: “This is heartbreaking #SittingInLimbo.”

While comedian and actor Sanjeev Bhaskar vented his frustration that many victims of Windrush had still received no compensation.

He tweeted: “Such a ruthless assault on the ‘easy targets’: those working class families and their dignity. Some didn’t live to see a resolution. And years later for many still no compensation. #windrushscandal #SittingInLimbo.”

In 2018, ministers faced a furious backlash over the treatment of the Windrush generation – named after a ship that brought migrants to Britain from the Caribbean in 1948.

Read more: Teenager investigated after Ian Wright shares racist Instagram messages

Commonwealth citizens who arrived before 1973 were automatically granted indefinite leave to remain.

But some were later challenged over their immigration status despite living in the UK legally for decades.

An independent review later found that the Windrush scandal was “foreseeable and avoidable” and victims were let down by “systemic operational failings” at the Home Office.

In May this year it was revealed that fewer than 5% of claims made under the government’s Windrush Compensation Scheme have been paid out.