ITV announces start of filming for true crime drama, The Hunt For Raoul Moat

ITV announces start of filming for true crime drama, The Hunt For Raoul Moat, starring Lee Ingleby, produced by acclaimed producers World Productions, and written by Anne screenwriter Kevin Sampson

The Hunt For Raoul Moat shines a light on the human tragedies that lay behind Britain’s biggest manhunt, told through the eyes of those who sought to bring a violent killer to justice. 

The drama focuses on the innocent victims of Moat’s crimes - Christopher Brown, Samantha Stobbart and PC David Rathband; the police officers who put themselves in the firing line in their quest to apprehend Moat; and the local journalist who sought to tell Moat’s real story in a landscape of sensationalist reporting and social media provocation.

Lee Ingleby (Criminal UK, The A Word, Inspector George Gently) plays Neil Adamson, a senior Northumbria Police Officer leading the race against time to apprehend Moat, Sonya Cassidy (The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Last Kingdom, Lodge 49) as local journalist Diane Barnwell, Vineeta Rishi (Vera, Collateral, Three Girls) as Nisha Roberts, Sally Messham (Artemis Fowl, Doc Martin, Our Ladies) as Samantha Stobbart, Matt Stokoe (Cursed, Jamestown, Bodyguard) as Raoul Moat and Josef Davis (Young Wallander, Chernobyl, Silent Witness) as Christopher Brown.
The Hunt for Raoul Moat begins with Moat’s ex-partner Samantha piecing her life back together following Moat’s imprisonment for an assault. He is then released from HMP Durham after serving a four-month sentence. Sam has a new boyfriend, Chris, and she is terrified of Moat’s return. 

Despite making serious threats against Sam from inside prison, the former Newcastle doorman is hellbent on rekindling their relationship. When he realises that isn’t going to happen, Moat equips himself with a shotgun to confront Sam and her new partner.

The Hunt for Raoul Moat will be produced by World Productions, part of ITV Studios, acclaimed producers of Anne, Line of Duty, The Pembrokeshire Murders and Vigil, in association with MultiStory Media. The drama is written by novelist and screenwriter Kevin Sampson. 

Kevin’s drama, Anne, the story of Anne Williams, an inspirational mother who dedicated her life to campaigning for justice following her son’s death at Hillsborough - also produced by World Productions - aired on ITV in January 2022 to huge critical and audience acclaim. 

Commented Kevin Sampson:

“The hunt for Raoul Moat gripped me from the start, as it was the first such case to be covered ‘live’ by the new 24-hour news channels in the UK. Even then, it interested me that Moat was being portrayed by some as a ‘legend’ in spite of the brutality of his crimes. In 2022, violence against women remains rife and is all too often accompanied by a victim-blaming agenda. I hope this drama will go some way to condemning this narrative.” 

The drama will be executive produced by World Productions CEO and Creative Director, Simon Heath (Anne, Line of Duty, Showtrial), World Productions Head of Drama, Jake Lushington (The Suspect, Vigil, The Bletchley Circle), screenwriter Kevin Sampson (Anne) and Mike Blair, on behalf of ITV Studios label MultiStory Media.  Kim Crowther (Inside No.9, The Worst Witch, The Dumping Ground, Coronation Street) will produce the drama which will be directed by Gareth Bryn (Karen Pirie, Line of Duty, Last Tango in Halifax).

Commented Simon Heath and Jake Lushington on behalf of World Productions: 

“Kevin has written a compelling and unflinching account of these shocking events which highlights the human tragedy behind the lurid headlines. The drama is a timely reminder of how social media and fake news can create a dangerous myth, in this case that Raoul Moat was any kind of hero.”

Released from Durham prison in July 2010, Moat went on the run after shooting three people in 24 hours. Despite Northumbria Police’s best efforts, Moat evaded them for over a week, threatening to kill police officers and members of the public. 

This manhunt played out against a warped perception of Moat as an ‘anti-hero’, a persecuted victim fighting back against the authorities. The reality was a narcissistic sociopath armed with guns and explosives who declared war on the police.

The Hunt for Raoul Moat has been commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, who will oversee production on behalf of the channel. 

Commented Polly Hill: 

“The Hunt for Raoul Moat shines a light on the human tragedies behind the true story of Britain's biggest ever manhunt to apprehend a violent killer.  Following on from his success with Anne earlier this year, Kevin Sampson's scripts are once again insightful and compelling. Equally, the World Productions team are brilliant and they've set the bar extremely high for true crime drama." 

The series is produced in association with, and distributed internationally by, ITV Studios.