By Lacy Baugher for Drama on May 29th, 2022

True Crime Drama 'The Barking Murders' to Stream on Britbox in June

Stephen Merchant in "The Barking Murders" (Photo: Britbox)

Britbox has officially set the date for its next true crime original: The Barking Murders is set to arrive on the streaming service this June. 

The three-part drama tells the story of notorious Essex serial rapist and murderer Stephen Port, who drugged and killed four gay men in London in 2014 and 2015. Known as the "Grindr Killer," he met his victims via online gay and bisexual social networks, dating and hookup apps, using constructed biographies in which he made false claims about his background. Port used the date rape drug GHB on his unsuspecting targets, as well as poppers, crystal meth, and even Viagra. 

The show was written by Neil McKay and produced by Jeff Pope and based on extensive research from the families of the murderer’s victims – Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth, and Jack Taylor. The series predominantly focuses on those loved ones, people who tirelessly fought to uncover the truth, and influenced the investigation that finally brought a dangerous killer to justice. 

Sheridan Smith in "The Barking Murders" (Photo: Britbox)
 Sheridan Smith in "The Barking Murders" (Photo: Britbox)

Stephen Merchant (The Outlaws) stars as Port, alongside Sheridan Smith (The Moorside) as Sarah Sak, the mother of his first victim, Anthony Walgate. Refusing to believe her son died of an overdose, she was outspoken in her criticism of the Metropolitan Police and their investigation, claiming that they missed crucial evidence and behaved indifferently toward Anthony's death.

The Barking Murders goes beneath the headlines to deliver a new perspective on the story, revealing missed opportunities by the police and looking at the devastating impact these crimes had on both the victims’ loved ones and on the wider gay community in London.

Watch the trailer for yourselves below:

 

Other cast members include Samuel Barnett (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency), Leanne Best (Young Wallander), Michael Jibson (The Essex Serpent), Rufus Jones (Home), Daniel Ryan (The Bay), and Jaime Winstone (Babs), amongst others.

The Barking Murders premieres Tuesday, June 7 on Britbox. 

By Lacy Baugher for Drama on May 29th, 2022
Lacy Baugher

Lacy's love of British TV is embarrassingly extensive, but primarily centers around evangelizing all things Doctor Who, and watching as many period dramas as possible.

Digital media type by day, she also has a fairly useless degree in British medieval literature, and dearly loves to talk about dream poetry, liminality, and the medieval religious vision. (Sadly, that opportunity presents itself very infrequently.) York apologist, Ninth Doctor enthusiast, and unabashed Ravenclaw. Say hi on Threads or Blue Sky at @LacyMB. 

Explore More

More to Love from Telly Visions