BBC1 drama on Grindr serial killer Stephen Port changes name to ‘Four Lives’ in bid to honour victims
AN eagerly awaited BBC1 drama exploring Stephen Port’s campaign of murder has had a telling change of name.
The new series, which stars Sheridan Smith and Stephen Merchant, was to be called The Barking Murders — after the area of London where Port carried out his killings — but is now Four Lives.
Acclaimed executive producer Jeff Pope wanted the emphasis of the three-parter to shift on to the victims and the families they left behind.
Met police failed to link the deaths, even though their bodies were all found close to Port’s home.
A TV insider said: “With a title like The Barking Murders, the creators thought it might have sounded too much like a conventional police procedure drama.
“The show is very much about the four young lives snuffed out and the deaths that could have been prevented.”
Four Lives tells of the young men who were given a fatal dose of sex drug GHB by Port, played by Merchant, after meeting him on dating app Grindr.
Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor were raped and killed by him at his flat in Barking, East London, between 2014 and 2015.
Port was jailed for life in November 2016, and the victims’ relatives have since fought to highlight detectives’ lack of action.
Sheridan plays Anthony’s mum Sarah and Jaime Winstone is Jack’s sister Donna.
The new name speaks volumes about how heart-breaking this drama will be.
From Mags to Meghan
A NEW Prince Harry is arriving for the third series of Channel 4 comedy The Windsors – and fans of royal shows will recognise the actor playing him.
Tom Durant-Pritchard was in the last series of The Crown as bounder Billy Wallace, the brief fiancé of Princess Margaret.
He will star opposite existing cast member Kathryn Drysdale who plays Meghan in the satirical show, which returns next year.
must watch
- WHAT? Responsible Child, BBC2, 9pm.
- WHY? This one-off drama, which was inspired by a real-life killing, tells the story of a schoolboy tried in an adult court for the murder of his mum’s abusive partner.
Mary’s recipe for heartache
MARY Berry will be seen pouring her heart out to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on tomorrow night’s A Berry Royal Christmas.
The BBC1 show sees the queen of puddings express a strong affinity with Prince William because her son – also called William – was killed in similar circumstances to his mum, Princess Diana.
She said: “Prince William lost his mother at a very vulnerable age, and we lost our son, aged 19, in a car accident. So we know what it is to be without someone very special.
“Christmas for us always holds mixed emotions and I always try to think of others who might not be having the best time.”
In a one-on-one chat with Kate, Mary explains the difficulty of getting over a terrible loss.
She said: “Having lost my William, I know exactly how people feel and how they need help and also to be able to talk with people who’ve had similar things happen to them.
“Christmas time is the time one should be aware of people who are alone.
“If you find people who’ll listen, it’s a tremendous help to pour your heart out.”
Mike has hots for Island
IT is a surprise to hear the creator of acclaimed dramas such as Doctor Foster singing the praises of Love Island.
But writer Mike Bartlett says reality shows play an important role in creating a shared telly experience.
Mike said: “The thing television can do is act like a hearth that brings people together. You watch Love Island together. That audience I’m really interested in.
“That audience is fascinating because I like the idea of contributing towards a national conversation.
“I keep trying to watch Love Island more. I think it’s charming. It would be hard to make a drama about reality TV that is more exciting than the real thing.”
Mike’s new three-part drama Sticks And Stones debuts on ITV at 9pm tonight, starring Killing Eve’s Ken Nwosu.
If any writer can get the nation talking, it’s Mike.
bizbit
MORE than 30 songs and two hours of uninterrupted footage from Kylie Minogue’s 33-date Golden Tour in Europe and Australia are available on All 4. It is the first recorded concert footage via the on- demand service.
Fred ‘no’ to meet
SUPPORTERS of a jailed killer featured in new ITV drama White House Farm wanted to meet the lead actor as they protest his innocence.
They tried to link up with star Freddie Fox over the case of Jeremy Bamber.
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Bamber was imprisoned in 1986 for killing five members of his family in Essex in 1985.
Freddie, who plays him, said: “I was approached by his campaign to have a conversation with them.
“It was decided that probably wasn’t a helpful thing in the creation of a character as was written in the script.”
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