The Sixth Commandment: Viewers can't sleep after watching sinister true crime drama

The Sixth Commandment left many viewers too scared to sleep after watching Timothy Spall's haunting performance.

The crime drama - co-starring Anne Reid and Eanna Hardwicke - is based on the sinister true story of killer Ben Field who took advantage of elderly teacher Peter Farquhar and his friend Ann Moore-Martin, persuading them to write him into their wills while simultaneously poisoning them with drugged cups of tea.

The first episode of the series - from acclaimed writer Sarah Phelps - has aired on BBC One at 9pm and some viewers have already binge-watched the whole series in iPlayer.

Read more: The Sixth Commandment: The true story behind the BBC drama

Many confessed to feeling terrified by the powerful performances and creepy story.

One viewer confessed: "Two episodes in and I've got to take a break, exceptional and heart breaking stuff from @PhelpsieSarah and cast #sixthcommandment I'm not going to sleep well."

Another admitted: "I watched the first episode of #sixthcommandment earlier. I may never sleep again."

One tweeted: "We already know how terrible the outcome was but …. Hats off to Eanna Hardwicke. This performance is exceptional. Creepy and disturbing doesn’t do him justice."

Another said: "@PhelpsieSarah I can hardly bear to watch the #SixthCommandment. #TimothySpall is utterly heartbreaking. Brilliant and terrible."

And one shared: "BAFTA winning hideousness on display from the revolting villain of #TheSixthCommandment . Brilliant drama on @BBCOne by Sarah Phelps. Timothy Spall and Anne Reid superb…"

Field was eventually arrested in January 2018 and found guilty of Farquhar's murder in August 2019.

He was sentenced in October 2019 to life in prison with a minimum of 36 years and has lost two appeals against his conviction.

Hardwicke, who plays him, said: "The judge described him as someone who had a pathological need to manipulate, hurt and have power over others. He gets a thrill from lying and playing a part well, whilst fooling everyone, which he pretty much did.

"I think he himself said that what interested him was putting on a good performance."

Reid said: "What's terrifying about this story is that this sort of terrible evil is hiding in plain sight. Ben Field could be anybody – he feels like he's a normal loving guy.

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"It makes you sort of question your own life. It's very difficult to judge relationships. Often you look at other people and you wonder ‘Why are they attracted to each other?’"

Watch: The Sixth Commandment trailer