In a BBC drama about the victims of Stephen Port

Stephen Merchant is to play real-life serial killer Stephen Port in a new BBC drama.

Playing the murderer who killed four young men he met through dating websites between 2014 and 2015 is the most significant dramatic role yet for The Office co-creator.

Provisionally title The Barking Murders, the three-part series comes from the perspective of the families of Port’s victims as they fight to uncover the truth about what happened to their lost sons and brothers in the face of a now widely-criticised police investigation.

Sheridan Smith will play Sarah Sak, the mother of Port’s first victim, Anthony Walgate, while Jaime Winstone will star as Donna Taylor, sister of Jack Taylor. 

Merchant said: ‘This is a story that can’t be ignored - how four young lives were lost and their families’ brave attempt to uncover what happened.  This factual drama will shed light on their story, so it’s a privilege to be a part of telling it.’

Port, dubbed The Grindr Killer, was given a life sentence in 2016 for the murders of Walgate, Taylor, Daniel Whitworth and Gabriel Kovari. 

Merchant has recently been adding straight roles to his repertoire, having been cast in last year’s big-screen  thriller The Girl In The Spider’s Web and 2017’s Wolverine film Logan.

Published: 10 Feb 2019