A drama centred around the infamous White House Farm murders will be aired on ITV tonight.
The six-part drama White House Farm is a dramatisation based on the murders of Sheila Caffell, her twin six-year-old sons, Daniel and Nicholas, and her parents, Nevill and June Bamber in 1985.
Their son, Jeremy Bamber, was jailed for life for the murders but has consistently denied being responsible.
He claims Sheila, who had a history of mental health problems, killed the family at the farm in Tolleshunt D’Arcy before turning the gun on herself.
How was the show put together?
The series’ producers say the drama will seek to provide fresh insight into the tragedy and the contested accounts of the events.
It has been based on research, interviews and accounts including The Murders at White House Farm by Carol Ann Lee and In Search of The Rainbow’s End by Colin Caffell, who was Sheila’s ex-husband and Daniel and Nicholas’ father.
Willow Grylls, executive producer for New Pictures, said: “This notorious case has been the subject of much debate and our programme focuses on the impact of the human tragedy.
“I’d like to specially thank Colin Caffell as without his collaboration this would not have been possible.”
Writer Kris Mrksa said: “This is an incredibly compelling true crime story but it’s the human dimension of these events that gripped my imagination, particularly after reading Colin Caffell’s book.
“So much discussion of the case has focussed on contested legal details but I wanted to tell this story in a way that did justice to the devastating emotional truth of what happened.”
How the case unfolded
Essex Police initially believed that Sheila, who had mental health problems, had murdered her own family before turning the gun on herself.
But Detective Sergeant Stan Jones had doubts about the murder-suicide theory, and about Sheila’s brother Jeremy Bamber, who first called the police to the farm.
- Police at the scene
Eventually it was Jeremy Bamber who was charged and convicted of the murders of his own parents, sister and nephews.
Bamber is currently serving life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
He is one of the few prisoners in the UK subject to a whole-life order. Bamber still maintains his innocence.
Who stars in the drama?
The drama is produced by New Pictures, which made Catherine the Great and The Missing.
Freddie Fox takes the role of Jeremy Bamber with Mark Addy as Det Sgt Stan Jones and Stephen Graham as Det Chief Insp Taff Jones.
Gemma Whelan, Mark Stanley, Alexa Davies, Cressida Bonas, Alfie Allen, Amanda Burton and Nicholas Farrell also take roles in the drama. The series will air in the new year.
Killer's campaign team tried to stop drama being shown
Mark Newby of Quality Solicitors Jordans, said: “We have written to the producers of the drama series and invited them to postpone the broadcast of this series whilst matters are resolved in the High Court.
“We have intimated we are concerned such a drama series by its nature will place a fictitious narrative in the public domain which may be counter productive to the administration of justice in due course.”
An ITV spokesman said the series was based on extensive research carried out by the producers.
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