‘Steeltown Murders’ trailer takes ‘Life on Mars’ star back to the 1970s
A brand new BBC true crime series begins tonight!
From the writer of Manhunt and the producers of The Pembrokeshire Murders, Steeltown Murders is set in both the 1970s and early 2000s.
The four-part factual drama focuses on the hunt to catch the killer of three young women in the Port Talbot area, and the remarkable story of how – in the first case of its kind – the mystery was solved almost thirty years later using pioneering DNA evidence.
Leading the cast is British actor Philip Glenister, returning to the decade that made him a household name in Life On Mars.
“I think it’s a responsibility and it’s a privilege,” Glenister said of playing a real-life person in Steeltown Murders.
“It’s interesting because I haven’t played a policeman since Gene Hunt in Ashes to Ashes. I am so aligned with that role, so it’s really – not to use the word exciting, but – I wanted to play another policeman and this was totally the opposite to Gene Hunt in many respects,” he explained.
“Paul Bethell is a real person and Gene Hunt is fictional. I think the overall feeling is that it’s a responsibility to serve the story because there are obviously family members. We have to serve the story and them above all and respect them. I think respect is the word.”
The Ashes to Ashes star continued: “When it’s based on something that is real and so traumatic because it involves three teenage girls, and having daughters myself, it hits you. It’s unimaginable what the families have gone through.
“I haven’t sort of looked at it as a thriller, to me, it’s more a drama-documentary that we are making. You want it to be entertaining, educational and informative, all the things you want in a good drama. So, hopefully we have done it justice.”
When’s the release date?
Steeltown Murders premieres at 9pm on Monday 15 May on BBC One, with episodes airing weekly.
All four episodes will also be streaming on BBC iPlayer.
Watch the trailer here:
Philip Glenister is joined by Steffan Rhodri (In My Skin, Gavin & Stacey) playing Phil ‘Bach’ Rees, with Scott Arthur (Good Omens) and Siôn Alun Davies (The Sandman) as the younger versions of their characters.
The cast also includes Keith Allen (Marcella), Priyanga Burford (No Time to Die), Sharon Morgan (Gangs of London), Nia Roberts (Red Rose), Elinor Crawley (Vikings), Gareth John Bale (35 Awr), Kriss Dosanjh (The Larkins), Matthew Gravelle (Broadchurch), Amy Morgan (Mr Selfridge), and Dyfan Dwyfor (A Very English Scandal).
A documentary titled Steeltown Murders: Hunting a Serial Killer is also streaming on BBC iPlayer, and it’ll air on BBC One at 9pm on Monday 6 June.
Life on Mars fans got a tantalising update on the show’s much-anticipated revival earlier this year!
Meanwhile, Glenister’s former co-star John Simm is currently busy filming a fourth season of ITV crime drama Grace in Brighton, England.
The Pembrokeshire Murders is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.