Steeltown Murders

Steeltown Murders is a British four-part BBC One factual drama television miniseries written by Ed Whitmore and directed by Marc Evans. It stars Philip Glenister and Steffan Rhodri as detectives investigating the real-life murders committed by Joseph Kappen in Port Talbot in South Wales. It premiered on 15 May 2023 on BBC One, with all episodes immediately available on BBC iPlayer.

Steeltown Murders
GenreFactual drama
Based onMurders of Joseph Kappen
Written byEd Whitmore
Directed byMarc Evans
Starring
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
  • Ed Talfan
  • Jon Hill
  • Ed Whitmore
  • Helen Perry
  • Rebecca Ferguson
ProducerHannah Thomas
CinematographySam Thomas
EditorTim Hodges
Production companies
  • Severn Screen
  • All3Media
  • BBC Studios
Release
Original networkBBC One

Synopsis

Twenty-first century technological advances help detectives with a cold murder case from 1973. Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd both left the Top Rank nightclub in Swansea without ever making it home. Their bodies were discovered later in Llandarcy. Dubbed the case of the “Saturday Night Strangler”, it became the first documented case of a serial killer in Wales. Joseph Kappen was the real-life perpetrator.[1]

Cast

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.K. viewers
(millions)
1"Episode 1"Marc EvansEd Whitmore15 May 2023 (2023-05-15)[2]TBD
2"Episode 2"Marc EvansEd Whitmore15 May 2023 (2023-05-15)TBD
3"Episode 3"Marc EvansEd Whitmore15 May 2023 (2023-05-15)TBD
4"Episode 4"Marc EvansEd Whitmore15 May 2023 (2023-05-15)TBD

Production

The series is written by Ed Whitmore and made by Severn Screen.[3] The four-part series is directed by Marc Evans with Hannah Thomas as producer in association with All3Media International. The executive producers on the series are Ed Talfan, Jon Hill and Ed Whitmore for Severn Screen with Helen Perry and Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC.[4]

Filming

Filming began in South Wales in November 2022.[5] The real life detective Paul Bethell was involved in the production and Philip Glenister said he felt “responsibility” to get the story right for the bereaved family members.[6]

Broadcast

Steeltown Murders aired in the UK from Monday 15 May, 2023 on BBC One, with all episodes becoming immediately available on BBC iPlayer.[2]

Reception

The series was chosen as “pick of the week” in The Sunday Times on 14 May 2023. Commenting that “the evolution of police work drives the drama, but a careful script keeps sight of the victims and their families”.[7] Lucy Mangan in The Guardian gave the series four stars, saying that the script "does full justice to the painstaking and never glamorous policework that finally found the Saturday Night Strangler, and the difference integrity makes to a job and to a life".[8] Rachel Cooke in The New Statesman said she was left “bored and furious”.[9]

References
  1. Williams, Kathryn (4 May 2023). "True crime drama Steeltown Murders airdate announced". Wales Online. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. Cormack, Morgan (3 May 2023). "Steeltown Murders, starring Philip Glenister, confirms BBC air date". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  3. Cormack, Morgan (12 April 2023). "Steeltown Murders shares first look at BBC drama with Philip Glenister". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  4. "First images released from new factual BBC drama Steeltown Murders". bbc.Co.Uk. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. Whittock, Jesse; Goldbart, Max (8 November 2022). "Philip Glenister And Steffan Rhodri To Lead BBC True-Crime Drama 'Steeltown Murders' From Writer Ed Whitmore". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. Bedigan, Mike (10 May 2023). "Philip Glenister: New policeman role is total opposite to Life On Mars character". Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  7. Segal, Victoria (14 May 2023). "What to watch and listen to this week: Steeltown Murders, Ten Pound Poms and more". The Times. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  8. Mangan, Lucy (15 May 2023). "Steeltown Murders review – the hunt for the Saturday Night Strangler could not be more timely TV". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  9. Cooke, Rachel. "The Steeltown Murders left me bored and furious". The New Statesman. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
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