Chilling true story behind The Serpent after crime thriller leaves Netflix viewers on the edge of their seats

Despite one gripping TV series airing back in 2021, viewers are still enthralled when learning the true story that inspired it.

The eight-episode crime drama premiered on BBC, who are, of course, no stranger to giving us compulsively watchable series'.

In recent times, we've written about the masterful work of The Missing, Rebus and Blue Lights - to name just a few.

But the BBC drama that left viewers speechless has now reached an even wider audience thanks to it being added to Netflix.

Watch the trailer for The Serpent here:

The story, which has a truly wild plot, has its roots in a real life true crime story.

The premise is that a woman makes the chilling discovery that her enigmatic new boyfriend is, in fact, an insatiable serial killer in the midst of his crimes, who then assumes their identities in order to travel the world and sell their stolen possessions.

If you're yet to watch The Serpent, you might be thinking how on Earth does she navigate such a discovery?

Well, the truth will shock you, as she didn't run away or inform the police - rather, she joined in.

The series first aired on BBC in 2021. (BBC)

The true story begins back in the 1970s.

The serial killer in question is Charles Sobhraj, who ended up joining murderous forces with his partner Marie-Andrée Leclerc and gained global infamy while eluding capture.

The pair travelled throughout Thailand and preyed on backpackers.

By the time 1976 rolled around, Sobhraj was Interpol's most wanted man and there were warrants out for his arrest in three continents.

Sobhraj was known to law enforcement as The Bikini Killer - due to many of his victims wearing swimwear when they died, as they were travelling along Thailand's hippie trail.

He was also known as 'The Serpent' due to his slithery methods of avoiding detection.

Sobhraj is believed to have murdered at least at least 20 tourists in South and Southeast Asia, which included 14 in Thailand.

Many of the murders were committed by way of poisoning, while others were stabbed, drowned and strangled.

In other cases, his victims were burned alive which further illustrates his level of depravity.

Charles Sobhraj has since been released. (DEV ENDRA M SINGH/AFP via Getty Images)

Upon his capture in 1976, Sobhraj was sent to jail for 12 years in India.

After his release, he travelled to Nepal where he remained a wanted man.

He was caught again and after serving 19 years in a Nepalese prison, his release was ordered by the Supreme Court and in 2022, Sobhraj was released from prison and deported to France.

As for his accomplice Leclerc, she was sent to prison after being caught for her role in the murders of Jean-Luc Salomon and Avoni Jacob.

She was released in 1983 upon receiving a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, during which she returned to her home in Canada.

She then died a year later aged 38.

It's a truly twisted tale expertly told in the 2021 television adaptation.

The Serpent is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.