A new TV drama tells the incredible story of Canoe Man John Darwin, who faked his own death at sea in 2002. He hid in a secret room at home while wife Anne made a fortune in a life insurance and pension scam – even lying to their two sons that their dad was dead. The plot was exposed by the Mirror in 2007. The four-part ITV drama The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, which starts on Sunday, was inspired by a book by ex-Mirror man David Leigh – who now recalls his unlikely friendship with Anne.
The makers of ITV’s The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe hope that it will cast new light on a woman whose punishment for telling some truly outrageous lies – first exposed by the Daily Mirror – was being sentenced to more than six years in a maximum security prison.
Inmates included serial killer Rose West, child abusers and drug dealers.
