ITV orders serial killer drama ‘The Pembrokeshire Murders’

The Great Train Robbery

ITV has commissioned true crime drama The Pembrokeshire Murders (w/t) starring Luke Evans and produced by Line of Duty and Bodyguard maker World Productions.

Evans, whose credits include Dracula Untold, The Alienist, and The Great Train Robbery, will take the lead in the three-part mini-series depicting the pursuit of a cold-blooded serial killer in Wales. Evans previously worked with World Productions on 2013 BBC drama The Great Train Robbery (pictured above).

Commissioned by ITV’s head of drama, Polly Hill, the drama will be executive produced by World Productions’ Simon Heath.

International distribution is being handled by ITV Studios and the production supported by the Welsh Government.

The mini-series is written by Nick Stevens (In Plain Sight) directed by Marc Evans (Manhunt, Safe House) and produced by Ed Talfan (Hinterland, Hidden) for Wales-based Severn Screen.

The drama is adapted from the true crime book Catching the Bullseye Killer, written by senior investigating officer Steve Wilkins and ITV news journalist Jonathan Hill. Luke Evans takes the role of Steve Wilkins.

It’s the story of two unsolved double murders from the 1980s which cast a shadow over the work of the Dyfed Powys police force. In 2006, newly promoted detective superintendent Steve Wilkins decided to reopen both cases. Employing pioneering forensic methods, Wilkins and his team found microscopic DNA and fibres that potentially linked the murders to a string of burglaries committed in the 80s and 90s.

Polly Hill said: Nick Stevens’ script is a fascinating and insightful account into how and why the Dyfed Powys Police team reopened this cold case and brought a serial killer to justice after he’d evaded capture for nearly two decades.”

Filming alongside Luke Evans are Keith Allen as John Cooper, Owen Teale as Gerard Elias, Alexandria Riley as Jackie Richards, Caroline Berry as Pat Cooper, Oliver Ryan as Andrew Cooper and David Fynn as ITV News journalist Jonathan Hill.

Filming for the series will begin this month.