If you like the idea of a gritty crime drama that's so good you'll think about it for weeks, then let us introduce you to Manhunt. The series, which first aired on ITV in 2019, stars the always brilliant Martin Clunes as the real-life former London Metropolitan Police detective Colin Sutton, who led major investigations into both serial killers and murderers. And if you didn't get the chance to watch it when it first aired, we'd highly recommend watching it on repeat tonight.
Based on DCI Sutton’s memoirs, in series one alone (there's two in total), we follow his investigation into the murder of 22-year-old French student Amélie Delagrange (Kiera Bell). His quick thinking meant he was able to link Amélie’s death to the murders of two other girls, which led to the eventual arrest of serial killer Levi Bellfield (Celyn Jones). If you enjoyed Martin Clunes in Doc Martin, we can confidently say that, despite being significantly darker, Manhunt is even better.
Intrigued? Before you tune in, here's everything you need to know about Manhunt, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Manhunt about?
As we mentioned, the first series of Manhunt is based on the real-life investigation into the murder of 22-year-old French student Amélie Delagrange (Kiera Bell), who was living in Twickenham for three months when she was murdered in 2004. The previous year, 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell was murdered on 4th February, followed closely by the murder of 13-year-old Milly Dowler in March 2002. DCI Sutton (Martin Clunes) became involved in the case when Delagrange was murdered and, at the time, arrests had already been made in the connection with McDonnell’s murder. The police had not yet found a link to Dowler’s death.
It was DCI Sutton’s painstaking investigation that linked killer Levi Bellfield (Celyn Jones) to Delagrange and the two previous murders, leading to him finally being caught and jailed for life for his heinous crimes. At the time of the show’s release in 2019, Sutton said the series was completed with “full disclosure” to the victims’ families. Speaking to Radio Times, he said: “They knew the story of the effort that went into the investigation and how hard we worked. And it was the best we could do for them because we couldn't bring their loved ones back, but you can treat them with decency and respect and do your best to bring the perpetrator to justice."
Series two, called Manhunt II: The Night Stalker, follows a completely different investigation that DCI Sutton worked on, centring around the case of notorious serial rapist and burglar, Delroy Grant, who targeted elderly people in southeast London between 1992 and 2009. The series starts with DCI Sutton being asked to carry out a review into an enquiry, Operation Minstead, as he offers a fresh perspective into the shocking crimes. Delroy Grant, nicknamed The Night Stalker, was eventually caught and given four life sentences and ordered to serve a minimum of 27 years in prison. Unlike many true crime dramas, Manhunt has been praised for highlighting the meticulous work and bureaucracy involved in delivering justice instead of sensationalising the crimes.
What to read next
Who’s in the cast of Manhunt?
The cast of Manhunt includes:
- Martin Clunes (Doc Martin, Wuthering Heights) as DCI Colin Sutton
- Claudie Blakley (Father Brown) as Louise Sutton, Colin’s wife
- Stephen Wight (Screw, The Bay) as Detective Constable Clive Grace
- Katie Lyons (Doc Martin, The Bill) as DS Jo Brunt in series 1
- Steffan Rhodri (Death in Paradise) as DC Neil Jones in series 1
- Christopher Fulford (Whitechapel, Top Boy) as Brian Marjoram in series 1
- Cara Theobold (Absentia, Downton Abbey) as Laura Marsh in series 1
- Celyn Jones (Above Suspicion) as Levi Bellfield in series 1
- Kiera Bell (Wild Bill) as Amélie Delagrange in series 1
- Hannah Banks (Teen Spirit) as Marsha McDonnell
- Jude Akuwudike (Gangs of London) as Delroy Grant in series 2
- Bally Gill (This Is Going to Hurt) as DC Jim Corgan in series 2
- Matthew Gravelle (The Widow, Broadchurch) as DI Nathan Eason in series 2
- Matt Bardock (The Coroner) as Detective Supt Simon Morgan in series 2
Is there a trailer for Manhunt?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Manhunt here:
Is Manhunt any good?
Yes - if you’re a fan of no-nonsense true crime dramas that focus on actual police work, Manhunt is excellent viewing. It's been described as a “quietly observant drama” by viewers, with many praising Martin Clune’s “tremendous” acting as Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton. In fact, Manhunt is so loved it won two BAFTA Cymru Awards and became a finalist in the C21 International Drama Awards for Best Mini Series.
How can I watch Manhunt?
You can watch both series of Manhunt now on ITVX.
What other crime dramas can I watch now?
For another crime drama based on true events, we’d recommend Four Lives. Sheridan Smith takes on the role of the mother of Anthony Walgate, who was one of the four young gay men killed by Stephen Port between June 2014 and September 2015. It's a powerful watch that examines the impact on everyone involved. Four Lives is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. If you fancy something newer, Mint is well worth a watch. The series, which recently launched on the BBC, shows the inner working of a notorious crime family through the eyes of the only daughter Shannon (Emma Laird). You can watch Mint now on BBC iPlayer.
