The Thief, his wife and the canoe

“It was delicious. It was comic yet tragic. It made you laugh, made you cry… unavoidably gripping”

Mail on Sunday

From the creator of ITV’s Unforgotten Chris Lang, this is the extraordinary true story of John and Anne Darwin, a husband and wife who lied to the world that John had drowned in a canoe accident before setting up a new life in Panama. With Eddie Marsan as John and Monica Dolan as Anne, this ITV drama series imagines the heartbreaking and jaw-dropping moments in a marriage that has been scrutinised by the nation and its justice system for years. Directed by BAFTA winning Richard Laxton (Mum, Mrs Wilson, Honour).

Praise for The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe

“ITV is right to take a punt on this and put it on the big Easter Sunday slot. Aside from purely how brilliant this series is, how perfect Marsan and Dolan are in the roles, and visually what a feast for the eyes this is, there’s something incredibly poetic about having the resurrection of John Darwin on the same day as the resurrection of Jesus. If it wasn’t true, you wouldn’t believe it” ★★★★★

Radio Times

“Lang made his name on the peerless cold-case drama Unforgotten, and here his droll and disobliging reimagining of the Darwins’ survival of the dimmest ensures that the couple will remain unforgettable” ★★★★

Guardian

“A very British crime story, superbly told… ITV’s new miniseries about how John Darwin faked his own death features superb character acting and dark comic relief” ★★★★

Telegraph

“Even if it wasn’t a true story, The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe would still be a thoroughly captivating watch, thanks to the bonkers nature of the crime and the stellar performances from the cast, lead by Eddie Marsan and Monica Dolan” ★★★★

Metro