Luke Evans cast in new ITV true crime drama The Pembrokeshire Murders

Evans will take on the lead role in The Pembrokeshire Murders, which is described by ITV as a “three-part mini-series depicting the pursuit of a cold-blooded serial killer.”

The drama has been adapted by In Plain Sight scribe Nick Stevens, from the novel Catching the Bullseye Killer, which was written by Senior Investigating Officer Steve Wilkins and ITV news journalist Jonathan Hill.

Speaking on his casting as Wilkins, Evans said in an ITV statement, “It is a privilege to be playing the role of Steve Wilkins in The Pembrokeshire Murders and working again with Simon Heath, his team at World Productions and ITV.

“It’s a huge responsibility for me as the drama depicts a true crime which to this day still affects the families of those whose lives were tragically taken.”

The mini-series focuses on the 2006 reopening of an investigation into an unsolved double murder from the 1980s, and Wilkins’s chase to find enough evidence to charge a suspected serial killer whose sentence for burglary is nearing completion.

ITV’s head of drama, Polly Hill, who commissioned the series, said, “Nick Stevens script is a fascinating and insightful account into how and why the Dyfed Powys Police team reopened this cold case and brought a serial killer to justice after he’d evaded capture for nearly two decades. [sic]

“I have wanted to work with Luke Evans again since we made The Great Train Robbery, which Simon Heath and World Productions also produced.

“I’m delighted that The Pembrokeshire Murders is that project, as Luke will be incredible as Steve Wilkins and this is going to be an unmissable drama for our ITV audience.”

Simon Heath, the executive producer, said, “We’re thrilled to be working again with Luke and Nick to bring to the screen the story of Steve Wilkins and his team’s brilliant cold case detective work.”

The cast also includes Keith Allen (Kingsman: The Golden Circle), Owen Teale (Game of Thrones), Alexandria Riley (The End of the F***ing World), Caroline Berry (Coronation Street), Oliver Ryan (The Accident) and David Fynn (Vanity Fair).