BBC Announces New Film And Online Companion Boxset

The BBC has announced a new film and online serialisation combination produced by its documentary strand, Storyville.

Killing For Love – Storyville will consist of a single film version screened on BBC Four and accompanied by six 30-minute episodes containing additional exclusive content available as a box set on BBC iPlayer.

In its first UK release, the documentary Killing For Love will examine the compelling murder case of Nancy and Derek Haysom, with gripping new evidence, cliffhanger twists and different viewpoints explored across the online episodes.

The films feature interviews with Jens Soering, who confessed to the brutal murder of his girlfriend Elizabeth Haysom's parents in 1985. Yet by the time it came to trial, Jens was claiming he confessed to the murders to protect Elizabeth - and that she had actually been the killer.

Through access to the dramatic trials, love letters and interviews with those involved in the case, it attempts to get to the truth of what happened on that fateful night.

Commenting on the series, Cassian Harrison, Channel Editor, BBC Four, said: "Killing for Love - Storyville is a truly gripping murder mystery and I'm excited that we are not only bringing it to a BBC Four audience, but experimenting in a new way with form and sharing a special box set version on iPlayer as well."

Kate Townsend, Storyville Commissioning Editor, also said: "Now in its 20th year, Storyville is well known for bringing groundbreaking films from around the world to our attention. Finding new ways of telling fascinating character-based stories and being more flexible with forms is important to us. With twists and turns throughout this remarkable and engrossing story, it's an exciting step in contemporary storytelling and for reaching wider audiences using BBC iPlayer."

Since its inception 20 years ago the Storyville strand has commissioned and screened close to 600 films from 70 countries, garnering a staggering array of awards: five Oscars, 15 Griersons, three Peabodys and three International Emmys.

The launch of the online serialisation follows the BBC iPlayer premiere of the Oscar-winning Storyville film, OJ: Made In America, which won the 2017 Academy Award for Best Documentary and is available now on iPlayer, ahead of its screening on BBC Four.

Killing For Love will be available as a box set on BBC iPlayer from 10pm on Tuesday 7 March, while BBC Four will screen a single film version at the same time.

(MH/CD)