ITV viewers tuned in to the third instalment of The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe on Tuesday evening, as the new drama continued to tell the real-life story of John and Anne Darwin that shocked the nation almost fifteen years ago.
The drama focuses on how Anne, played by Monica Dolan, became complicit in her husband’s deception as she started to convince the world, their family and friends, the police and insurance companies, that he had gone missing in 2002 whilst canoeing off the coast of Seaton Carew in Cleveland, where the couple owned two large houses with panoramic views of the sea.
The deception takes its toll on Anne who lied to their sons, Mark and Anthony, for five years whilst her husband, in the early days of the fraud, secretly lived in a bedsit next door to the home he shared with Anne. Devastated by the loss of their father, neither son had an inkling their parents were capable of such treachery.
READ MORE: Where are John and Anne Darwin's sons now? ITV The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe
Tuesday's episode saw John reunited with his sons after returning to the UK and feigning amnesia. He staggered into a London police station and declared he had no memory of anything. He said he thought it was the year 2000.
He didn't know which city he was in, or whether the man standing in front of him in a police uniform was a police officer. He did, however, know he had a wife and two sons - and that he had amnesia.
Some viewers said had it not been a true story, they'd have said it was too unrealistic. Taking to Twitter, some thought the police should have caught him out way before an incriminating photo came to light.
Kayleigh said: "'I think I have amnesia' says nobody with amnesia! But somehow knows his name, his wife and his sons". Michelle W said: "The police didn't need the photo, they should've smelt a rat at his blatantly fake amnesia".
Maddie said: "If John has amnesia how does he know he misses his sons?". Lyla said: "Surely it would have been better if he had been sleeping on the streets maybe with a beard near the police station rather than clean shaven saying he has amnesia?"
J Anne said: "Did he not have a tan?". Sheldon said: "I've had amnesia. Also my name is John Darwin, my wife is called Ann and my son is called Anthony".
The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe continues on ITV and the ITV Hub
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