‘The Serpent’ trailer: Jenna Coleman stars in BBC’s new 1970s true crime thriller

The BBC has released the first trailer for The Serpent.

From the creator of Ripper Street and the makers of Endeavour, the upcoming drama is inspired by a phenomenal true story.

Set in the 1970s, The Serpent tells how Charles Sobrhaj, one of the most elusive criminals of the 20th century, was caught and brought to trial.

Alongside French actor Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) as Charles, Victoria star Jenna Coleman plays Marie-Andrée Leclerc, Sobhraj’s partner and frequent accomplice.

The eight-part mini-series began filming in Thailand last autumn and the shoot was finally completed in September after a lengthy delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Watch the trailer:

 

The Serpent premieres in the UK on Friday 1st January at 9pm on BBC One.

The official synopsis for The Serpent reads: “Charles Sobhraj was the chief suspect in the unsolved murders of up to 20 young Western travellers across India, Thailand and Nepal’s ‘Hippie Trail’ in 1975 and 1976.

“Psychopath, con man, thief and master of disguise, having slipped repeatedly from the grasp of authorities worldwide, by 1976 serial killer Sobhraj was Interpol’s most wanted man and had arrest warrants on three different continents.

“When Herman Knippenberg, a junior diplomat at the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok, unwittingly walks into Sobhraj’s intricate web of crime, he sets off an extraordinary chain of events that will see Knippenberg seek to bring Sobhraj to justice for his terrible crimes.”

The Serpent will be available to watch in the US and internationally on Netflix in early 2021.

Jenna Coleman previously commented: “The Serpent intoxicated me into the dark seductive world of Charles Sobhraj. I’m so looking forward to delving into hippie trail depths and bringing to life this unfathomable real life story…”

The 34-year-old English actress is expected to begin filming a fourth season of Victoria next year and the show’s writer has already given fans some hints about a major character death in the new episodes.

Victoria is available on DVD on Amazon.