Filming has started for a brand new Raoul Moat drama shining a light on Britain's biggest manhunt, ITV has confirmed. Viewers of The Hunt For Raoul Moat will be told the story through the eyes of those who sought to bring a violent killer to justice.
Moat went on the run after shooting three people in 24 hours following his release from Durham prison in July 2010. Despite Northumbria Police's best efforts, the former Newcastle doorman evaded them for more than a week, threatening to kill police officers and members of the public. He was eventually cornered by armed police in Rothbury, Northumberland, where he took his own life.
The new drama focuses on the innocent victims of Moat’s crimes - Christopher Brown, Samantha Stobbart, and PC David Rathband; the police officers who put themselves in the firing line in their quest to apprehend Moat; and the local journalist who sought to tell Moat’s real story in a landscape of sensationalist reporting and social media provocation.
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The show begins with Moat's ex-partner Samantha piecing her life back together following his imprisonment for an assault. He is then released from HMP Durham after serving a four-month sentence. Sam has a new boyfriend, Chris, and she is terrified of Moat's return.
Despite making serious threats against Sam from inside prison, Moat from Newcastle, is hellbent on rekindling their relationship. When he realises that isn't going to happen, Moat equips himself with a shotgun to confront Sam and her new partner.
Lee Ingleby, who has appeared in Criminal UK, The A Word, and Inspector George Gently will play Neil Adamson, a senior Northumbria Police Officer leading the race against time to apprehend Moat. Sonya Cassidy who starred in The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Last Kingdom, and Lodge 49 will play local journalist Diane Barnwell.
Meanwhile, Vineeta Rishi will play Nisha Roberts, Sally Messham will play Samantha Stobbart, Matt Stokoe will play Raoul Moat and Josef Davis will play Christopher Brown.
The Hunt for Raoul Moat will be produced by World Productions, part of ITV Studios, acclaimed producers of Anne, Line of Duty, The Pembrokeshire Murders, and Vigil, in association with MultiStory Media. The drama is written by novelist and screenwriter Kevin Sampson.
Kevin's drama, Anne, the story of Anne Williams, an inspirational mother who dedicated her life to campaigning for justice following her son’s death at Hillsborough - also produced by World Productions - aired on ITV in January 2022 to huge critical and audience acclaim.
He said: "The hunt for Raoul Moat gripped me from the start, as it was the first such case to be covered ‘live’ by the new 24-hour news channels in the UK. Even then, it interested me that Moat was being portrayed by some as a ‘legend’ in spite of the brutality of his crimes. In 2022, violence against women remains rife and is all too often accompanied by a victim-blaming agenda. I hope this drama will go some way to condemning this narrative.”
The drama will be executive produced by World Productions CEO and Creative Director, Simon Heath, World Productions Head of Drama, Jake Lushington, screenwriter Kevin Sampson and Mike Blair, on behalf of ITV Studios label MultiStory Media. Kim Crowther will produce the drama which will be directed by Gareth Bryn.
Simon Heath and Jake Lushington on behalf of World Productions said: "Kevin has written a compelling and unflinching account of these shocking events which highlights the human tragedy behind the lurid headlines. The drama is a timely reminder of how social media and fake news can create a dangerous myth, in this case that Raoul Moat was any kind of hero."
The Hunt for Raoul Moat has been commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, who will oversee production on behalf of the channel. Polly said: "The Hunt for Raoul Moat shines a light on the human tragedies behind the true story of Britain's biggest ever manhunt to apprehend a violent killer. Following on from his success with Anne earlier this year, Kevin Sampson's scripts are once again insightful and compelling. Equally, the World Productions team are brilliant and they've set the bar extremely high for true-crime drama."
The series is produced in association with, and distributed internationally by, ITV Studios.
