The creators of an ITV drama about canoe couple John and Anne Darwin, who faked his death for money, hope to bring a new theme to the story – forgiveness. The Darwins’ jaw-dropping deception tricked insurers, police and even their two sons into believing the ex-prison officer had died in a North Sea accident in 2002.
The couple started a new life in Panama but the tale unravelled when John came back from the dead in 2007, claiming to have suffered amnesia. They were jailed for the fraud and the extent of the parents’ deception shocked the world.
The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe, which airs next month, explores the extent of Anne’s culpability and how much she was forced to go along with her husband’s plan. Played by Bafta-winner Monica Dolan, Anne’s inner monologue narrates the story. Eddie Marsan plays narcissistic John with a glint in his eye.
