BBC announces 'true' crime series on 'most astounding' cyberstalking case

BBC Three and BBC Scotland are set to release a gripping new three-part documentary series delving into the chilling case of a woman whose online catfishing spiralled into a series of cyberstalking crimes.

The Catfish Next Door (working title) will unravel the twisted tale of Adele Rennie, a former NHS nurse from Kilmarnock, who conducted a decade-long campaign of deception and harassment that was eventually exposed, resulting in her third prison sentence in 2024.

Produced by STV Studios Factual, the series will expose the unsettling truth behind Adele's actions, showing how she created a network of fake identities to target local women.

Over a span of ten years, she meticulously constructed online personas and stalked her victims in a sophisticated and manipulative manner, leading to life-changing consequences for those affected.

In 2017, during Adele's first trial, Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane described the case as "the most astounding narrative of facts" she had come across in her career, reports the Mirror.

However, this was just the start as the series will delve further into the intricate story, featuring accounts from some of Adele's victims, who will finally get the opportunity to share their experiences and piece together the reality of what transpired.

The documentary will shed light on the impact cyberstalking had on the victims. It will also explore what motivates someone to commit such crimes and why some individuals escalate from online deceit to full-scale cyberstalking.

The gripping new series, The Catfish Next Door, is set to offer viewers an intimate glimpse into one of the most astounding and unforeseen cybercrime cases witnessed so far.

A joint venture, the programme is commissioned in collaboration between BBC Three, BBC Scotland, and BBC iPlayer. Clare Sillery, Louise Thornton, and Nasfim Haque, served as the commissioners for the show, with Tom Pullen and David Harro Btn strategically steering its development.

At the helm of STV Studios Factual's production as executive producers are Craig Hunter, Wendie Ottewill, and Rosy Marshall-McCrae, while directorial duties are undertaken by Alana McVerry.

Promising to delve deep into the murky waters of online fraud, this enthralling documentary series will explore the impact of virtual lies spilling into tangible lives.

Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, expressed excitement over the series: "This series will take us into the modern phenomenon of catfishing and internet crime in a fresh and creatively distinctive way and through the prism of the Scottish community in which it takes place."

Adele Rennie faced the repercussions of her actions on 13 September 2024, receiving a 28-month prison sentence, a 12-month Supervised Release Order post-imprisonment, and was mandated to register as a sex offender for a decade.