The BBC is riding the Netflix Making a Murderer true crime wave with a new drama based on the murders committed by serial killer John Christie in Notting Hill in the 1940s and 50s.
The three part BBC1 drama is directed by Craig Viveiros, who also directed the recent remake of Agatha Christie whodunnit And Then There Were None.
The drama, Rillington Place, is named after the street where Christie committed the crimes and lived with his wife, Ethel.
It tells the story of the murders and subsequent miscarriage of justice from the viewpoint of Christie, Ethel and their neighbour Timothy Evans.
The drama has been written by Ed Whitmore, who also wrote He Kills Coppers, and Tracey Malone, writer of Born to Kill.
It is being made by BBC Drama in association with Bandit Television, which is part of Endemol Shine Group.
“This has been a passion piece involving close relationships with the surviving family members which we have developed over several years,” said Phillippa Giles, managing director of Bandit.
The events were turned into a film in 1971 which starred Richard Attenborough, John Hurt and Judy Geeson.
“We are thrilled to be bringing this iconic story to BBC1,” said Hilary Salmon, head of BBC drama production England. “Ed Whitmore and Tracey Malone have written three brilliant scripts which really crack open the mysteries and motivations of the Christie case.”
The BBC appears to be upping the amount of crime programming in response to growing interest from viewers, demonstrated by the popularity of NetFlix’s Making a Murderer and the Serial podcast.
Last month, the BBC acquired The v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, whose star-studded cast includes Cuba Gooding Jr, John Travolta and David Schwimmer. It examines the 1995 trial of the former American football star over the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
