Skip to main content

Home Culture Culture Film & TV

Luke Evans’ new ITV serial killer drama The Pembrokeshire Murders confirmed for January

Luke - who won Man of the Year at this month's Attitude Awards - has called the show "a rollercoaster ride"

By Jamie Tabberer

Words: Jamie Tabberer; pictures: ITV

Luke Evans’ new three-part ITV miniseries The Pembrokeshire Murders will air in January 2021, it has been confirmed.

The 2021 show, about the pursuit of a serial killer, will broadcast on Monday 11, Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 January, 9pm on ITV, the station said on Twitter.

Beauty and the Beast star Luke – who is one of the cover stars of the current Awards Issue of Attitude – has previously described the show as “a rollercoaster ride.”

“The worst serial killer that Wales has ever seen”

The Pembrokeshire Murders will be based on the true story of Welsh serial killer John Cooper, also known as The Bullseye Killer and The Wildman; he’ll be played by actor Keith Allen (below).

Explaining he’s always been a “sucker for a true story,” Luke said last week (as per Digital Spy): “This isn’t just a true story. It’s a shocking true story about the worst serial killer that Wales has ever seen.

“It just drew my attention to the work that the police force does behind the scenes and the human impact of what people go through when something like this happens in their community.”

Luke – who this month won Man of the Year at the 2020 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar – added: “There are no fictional embellishments in this story. It is as true to the facts as it possibly can be, and it really is a rollercoaster ride as you watch it. It just keeps you on the edge of your seat, which is what you want from a crime drama.”

“‘Do you realise I left home at 16 because I was gay?’”

Meanwhile, in his Attitude cover interview, the 41-year-old opened up about life as a public figure who is gay, explaining: “It was the last thing I had, because everything else I’ve given to the world. My career was public, I was photographed, and all that stuff.

“My personal life just became the last thing that I had. Also, what was strange was that when people did find out that I was gay, there was a lot of articles and stuff written saying that I was hiding it, and I wasn’t.”

He continued: “I just wanted to get online and I wanted to pick up the phone and say, ‘Do you realise I left home at 16 because I was gay?’ I went into the world as a kid, because I had to. I am proud and happy, and I’ve lived a very big life that I’m super happy with.

“And I’ve never been ashamed. And now all of a sudden I was being treated in this way and it was a scary moment because I was, like, oh God, this is horrible. This is not true. None of this is true.”

Watch the 2020 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar on YouTube now.

The Attitude Awards issue featuring all 14 winners is available from 1 December to download and to order globally.

Subscribe in print and get your first three issues for just £3, or digitally for just £1.54 per issue.

F