ITV is teasing audiences with a sneak peek of their new crime drama Until I Kill You.
The four-part thriller features Anna Maxwell Martin as Delia Balmer and Shaun Evans as the murderous John Sweeney, tracing the dangerous trajectory of their relationship which began in 1991 after they met in a local pub.
Adapted from Delia’s own memoir Living with a Serial Killer, the series will chart the couple’s journey from its innocent beginnings to a much darker destination.
Viewers will witness how John’s violent tendencies emerge, placing Delia in the path of brutal assaults.
In a chilling revelation during one attack, John admits to murdering a former girlfriend and disposing of her body in an Amsterdam canal.
Despite his arrest, a catastrophic judicial error sees him released, unaware of the threat he poses.
Once out on bail, John targets Delia, nearly ending her life, but she survives his onslaught as he vanishes, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Anna Maxwell Martin, acclaimed for her performances in Motherland and A Spy Among Friends, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, commending her colleagues.
She commented: “Telling an important story with the excellent team from World Productions, producer Ken Horn, director Julia Ford and a brilliant cast is always an exciting proposition! As it is brought to life by Nick Stevens, hopefully, we will do Delia due diligence.”
In a chilling teaser for the series, viewers can eerily hear John’s words to Delia: “I’m going to take such good care of you.”
A voiceover from someone close to Delia discloses that John wielded a gun and cautioned her against returning to her flat and informing the police.
In the clip, it depicts John’s arrest and being escorted into a police vehicle after getting aggressive towards Delia; he is also shown in a later court scene as Delia gives evidence against him.
Questioned about the events of 22 December 1994, Delia eeirly answers: “You mean the night he killed me?”
A distressing flashback sequence reveals John striking her on the head with a metal item and then maneuvering her while she lies motionless.
Discussing his role in the ITV drama, Shaun expressed: “I’ve previously worked with World Productions and ITV separately, so I’m looking forward to joining forces to tell this story.
“A story that is quite rightly told through the victim’s lens, Delia. We have an excellent script from Nick Stevens and I couldn’t be more delighted to work with Anna.”
A synopsis reads: “Shattered by the trauma and injuries inflicted by Sweeney, Delia bravely seeks to rebuild her life. But Sweeney returns seven years later and is arrested for the murder of another girlfriend in North London.”
“Delia’s fragile recovery is shattered all over again as she has to face Sweeney in open court, her testimony vital to the prosecution case against him. This is the story of one woman’s astonishing will to survive through physical and emotional torment, despite the failings of the institutions which were meant to protect her.”
It’s believed Until I Kill You will air on ITV1 and ITVX next month.