BAFTA-winning actress announced for new ITV true crime drama

A BAFTA-winning actress has been announced for a newly commissioned true crime drama on ITV.

ITV announced on Wednesday, February 15, that it had commissioned a new true crime drama starring BAFTA-winning actress Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, A Spy Among Friends).

“The extraordinary true story of Delia Balmer, who survived a near-fatal relationship with murderer John Sweeney, is the subject of a new four-part drama, Delia Balmer, commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill from globally renowned ITV Studios label, World Productions,” the TV company said.

“BAFTA-winning actress Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, A Spy Among Friends) will take the role of Delia Balmer, whilst renowned actor and director Shaun Evans (Endeavour, Vigil) will play John Sweeney. Delia Balmer will premiere on ITV1 and ITVX.”

Anna Maxwell Martin – photo credit: Carla Guler & Shaun Evans – photo credit: Faye Thomas

British actress Anna Maxwell Martin, 45, said: “Telling an important story with the excellent team from World Productions, producer Ken Horn, director Julia Ford and a brilliant cast is always an exciting proposition!

“As it is brought to life by Nick Stevens, hopefully, we will do Delia due diligence.”

While Shaun Evans said: “I’ve previously worked with World Productions and ITV separately, so I’m looking forward to joining forces to tell this story. A story that is quite rightly told through the victim’s lens, Delia. We have an excellent script from Nick Stevens and I couldn’t be more delighted to work with Anna.”

ITV added: “Based on Delia Balmer’s book, Living with a Serial Killer, Delia Balmer is written by Nick Stevens (The Pembrokeshire Murders), and executive produced by multi-award winning World Productions CEO, Simon Heath (Save Me, Line of Duty, Anne) Delia Balmer narrates the ordeal Delia suffered at the hands of John Sweeney, and her traumatic journey through the police and criminal justice system as they attempt to prosecute him for his crimes.

“The series has been commissioned for ITV by Polly Hill and Drama Commissioner, Huw Kennair Jones.

“Huw will oversee the production of the drama from ITV’s perspective.”

Huw Kennair Jones said: “Delia Balmer’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit when facing unimaginable evil. Nick Steven’s scripts have brilliantly captured the fortitude of a truly remarkable woman and her journey to achieving justice and the obstacles she had to overcome.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Nick, Simon Heath and World Productions again, the team behind The Pembrokeshire Murders to bring this extraordinary story to the ITV1 and ITVX audience.”

You can read more about the show here.

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