Yahoo News David Tennant cast as serial killer Dennis Nilsen in new true crime drama
Doctor Who star David Tennant has been cast as serial killer Dennis Nilsen for a new ITV drama.
Des will be a three-part series following the infamous case of Nilsen – also known as the 'Muswell Hill Murderer' – who killed a number of boys and young men between 1978 to 1983.
Alongside Tennant, the series will also star Line of Duty's Daniel Mays as Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay, who was called to Nilsen's Cranley Garden address to investigate human fragments blocking the drains, leading to his arrest.
The killer was subsequently convicted on six counts of murder and two of attempted murder, and was sentenced to life in prison. He died in 2018.
The Crown's Jason Watkins will play biographer Brian Masters, who wrote the book Killing for Company on which the series is based.
The series will be told through the prism of the three men, looking at the police investigation and subsequent trial, as well how the media coverage affected the perceptions of the victims.
"This drama starts with Nilsen's arrest and is looking at him through the eyes of the police officer trying to identify those he killed and deliver justice for them and the biographer he chose to tell his story," said ITV's Head of Drama Polly Hill.
"David Tennant is going to be brilliant as Dennis Nilsen and with Daniel Mays as Jay and Jason Watkins as Brian, this has an incredible cast to bring this story to screen and we are delighted to be making this with New Pictures for ITV."
Des will air on ITV.
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