Channel 5 confirms controversial Madeleine McCann drama series as Killing Eve actress takes on leading role
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Channel 5 have confirmed that they have commissioned a Madeleine McCann drama series that will focus on her mother Kate.
Actress Laura Bayston, who played Babs in season two of BBC's Killing Eve, has taken on the role of Madeline's mum for the new 90-minute film called Suspect: Kate McCann.
This is the first time that the missing case of Madeline has been made into a drama as over the years there have been plenty of documentaries made for various channels and streaming services.
Madeline was just three-years-old when she went missing on 3 May 2007, while staying in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
The channel have commissioned Orchard Studios to create the drama focused on the well known missing person case.
The new episode, directed by Paula Wittig and written by Philip Ralph, is the first of the channel's new limited-run series Suspect.
Channel 5 have confirmed that they are creating a Madeline McCann drama series that will focus on her mother Kate
Actress Laura Bayston, who played Babs in season two of BBC's Killing Eve, has taken on the role of Madeline's mum for the new 90-minute film called Suspect: Kate McCann
Parents of Madeline Kate and Gerry McCann pictured back in 2011
The second instalment is called Suspect: The Road Rage Killer - and that focuses on the case of Tracie Andrews.
'The series begins with the little-known story of the controversial interrogation of Kate McCann as the prime suspect in her daughter's disappearance,' the official press release states.
It adds: 'Suspect: Kate McCann focuses on an extraordinary and tense 48-hour period that threatened to halt the search for Madeleine, and which left the McCanns fighting for their freedom.
'It's the story of every parent's nightmare, somehow getting worse.'
5 commissioning editor Dan Louw said of the upcoming episode: 'This fantastic film goes where the cameras couldn't – behind the closed doors of the interview room – to create a deeply moving drama from documentary evidence.
'Suspect: Kate McCann is one of the most tense, moving and shocking films you will see this year.
'I cannot praise the writing, directing and acting enough – especially a star-making turn from Laura Bayston as Kate McCann.'
Head of programmes and executive producer at Orchard Studios, Nat Lippiett, added: 'You might think you know these stories, but these powerful, meticulously researched dramas will surprise viewers by shedding light on the lesser-known moments in these iconic crime cases.'
Madeline was just three-years-old when she went missing on 3 May 2007, while staying in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal
Actress Laura has also appeared in the likes of Slow Horses and Doctors.
She's also starred in Old Windows, When She Sings and Casualty.
Laura has produced Safe and Old Windows.
According to The Sun James Robinson will play Madeline's dad Gerry.
A release date has not been confirmed yet, but it will be on our screens later this year.
And according to The Independent, the McCanns are 'not involved editorially.'
But they were told that they are 'aware of the film'.
