The Nilsen Files: A New Documentary On Dennis Nilsen Is Coming To The BBC

A new documentary series exploring the gruesome case of Dennis Nilsen is set to drop on BBC Two.

The Nilsen Files: A Very British Crime Story will look at the brutality of the so-called 'Muswell Hill murderer', who was convicted of killing six young men and boys in 1983 - although it is thought Nilsen had between 12-16 victims in total.

Nilsen died in prison in 2018.

The series comes from the makers behind other true crime docs The Yorkshire Ripper Files and The Shipman Files, and will be fronted by filmmaker Michael Ogden.

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The BBC said in a statement: "Focusing on the lives of the victims, he'll ask why, 40 years on, they remain just a footnote in this terrible case. Michael will explore not just who these boys and young men were, but also how attitudes at the time allowed their disappearance and murders to be overlooked.

"Meeting with former police officers, he'll discover their regrets about the premature closure of the case, leaving seven murder victims unidentified and families without answers about the fate of their missing children."

The statement continues: "This series will upend everything we think we know about this case, exploring the homophobic attitudes that allowed Nilsen's crimes to go un-investigated for many years. And how attitudes suggested that there was little interest in missing young men, often dismissed simply as 'drifters'.

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"Understanding the case anew, Michael will seek to show how these attitudes are as dangerous to young men's lives today as they were almost 40 years ago."

A release date is yet to be confirmed.

Interest in the Dennis Nilsen case was ignited once more last year with the release of ITV drama series, Des.

ITV)

Former Doctor Who star David Tennant played the serial killer, with the three-part series starting from the point Dennis' crimes were uncovered, after human remains caused a blockage of a drain near his home,

The drama, which also starred Daniel Mays and Jason Watkins, received widespread critical acclaim.

Topics: True Crime, BBC, TV News, TV & Film

Kimberley Bond

Kim is a journalist at Tyla, and has previously worked at the Evening Standard, Radio Times as well as several national newspapers. A showbiz obsessive and a television fanatic, Kim is particularly interested in celebrity gossip, A-list events and the latest releases on either the big or small screen. Contact her at [email protected]

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