ITV viewers claim they were left with a major 'issue' over the casting of The Hunt for Raoul Moat, as the true crime drama immediately became a huge talking point on its launch.
After a lot of build up, the three part series aired its first episode on Sunday night, with ITV issuing a warning to viewers seconds before it started.
The opening part of episode one of The Hunt for Raoul Moat focused on the new romance between Moat's ex girlfriend Samantha Stobbart and Christopher Brown, the karate teacher who Samantha told Moat was a police officer, in a desperate attempt to get him to stay away as his release from prison loomed.
READ MORE: Is ITV's Hunt for Raoul Moat all true? Name change, ex's desperate lie and Gazza absence
The killer was seen giving an angry phone call to Samantha from prison, before coming face to face with her as she went to visit him in prison. Moat is played in the ITV drama by Matt Stokoe, with the former Bodyguard and Musketeers star leading The Hunt for Raoul Moat cast, which also sees Lee Ingleby play Chief Supt. Neil Adamson and ex Vera actress Sonya Cassidy as local journalist Diana Barnwell.
Many viewers were quick to praise County Durham born actor Matt for his performance, but as soon as he appeared on screen, plenty of others were left saying the same thing - he didn't look anything like Moat. One tweeted: "The actor doesn't look very much like Raoul Moat," with a second writing: "Fair to say this actor guy clearly doesn’t look like Raoul Moat"
As well as the lack resemblance proving to be a sticking point, others took exception to Matt's accent, with one unimpressed viewer blasting: "watching this The Hunt for Raoul Moat and there’s 2 things, our accent doesn’t work in these things and second this actor that is meant to be Raoul Most looks absolutely nothing like him."
Also taking issue with the accents in The Hunt for Raoul Moat, another reacted: "All these actors in Raoul Moat sound like they’re Mackems"
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