Image from Huw Fullerton / radiotimes
David Tennant, the actor best known for his time as Dr Who on Dr Who will be taking an exciting direction in his next dramatic project. For this work, he will be taking on the role of Dennis Nilsen, the English serial killer. This role has meant a major change to Tennant’s appearance to best portray the role.
Dennis Nilsen was a London based Serial Killer who killed at least 12 boys across his spree from 1978 and 1983. He was jailed at the end of this and eventually died at the age of 72. Tennant has taken on the role fully presenting a new appearance that is based mainly off of Nilsen’s mugshot.
Nilsen attracted his victims, often homosexual and/or homeless men, with the promise of a safe space to rest or alcohol. He would often then proceed to strangle the victim, sometimes drowning them, before engaging in various sexual acts with the newly deceased corpse. From there Nilson would slowly mutilate his victim. He would often get rid of the bodily parts by flushing them down the toilet. This is how his crimes were discovered when a plumber found some human remains in a drain.
The ITV drama will document the story of Nilsen and what brought about his crimes. It will involve a three-part series staring Jason Watkins as Brian Masters, who wrote the book Killing For Company, which details Nilsen’s horrific murders. The relationships and decisions of Nilsen are horrific and will be detailed within the series explaining how he became the necrophile he was.
