BBC confirms new true crime series based on real-life catfishing case

Get the latest Daily Record breaking news on WhatsApp

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info

Join us on WhatsApp

BBC Three and BBC Scotland are teaming up to bring audiences a chilling new three-part documentary series focusing on the unnerving case of a woman whose catfishing antics escalated into a spree of cyberstalking offences.

The working title for the series is The Catfish Next Door, which delves into the harrowing tale of Adele Rennie.

The former NHS nurse from Kilmarnock conducted a decade-long charade of deception and harassment, which was ultimately exposed, resulting in her landing a third stint in prison in 2024.

Produced by STV Studios Factual, the programme is set to expose the alarming truth behind Adele's behaviour, chronicling how she created an intricate network of fictitious identities to prey upon local women.

For ten years, she meticulously assembled online personas, pursuing her victims with both sophistication and manipulation, leading to life-changing repercussions for those involved.

Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane referred to the situation as "the most astounding narrative of facts" she had ever seen, during Adele's initial trial in 2017, reports the Mirror.

Yet this was just the tip of the iceberg. The docuseries promises to probe further into the complex case, including heartfelt accounts from some of Adeles victims, providing them the platform to voice their stories and piece together the actuality of the events.

The production will also highlight the emotional and psychological burden of cyberstalking on the victims. Additionally, it seeks to uncover the motivations behind such criminal behaviour and the reasons why certain individuals progress from mere online fabrications to outright cyberstalking.

The upcoming series, The Catfish Next Door, delves into one of the most shocking and unexpected cybercrime cases to date.

Developed as a co-commission between BBC Three, BBC Scotland, and BBC iPlayer, it was commissioned by Clare Sillery, Louise Thornton, and Nasfim Haque, with Tom Pullen and David Harron Smith overseeing its development.

The production team includes Executive producers Craig Hunter, Wendie Ottewill and Rosy Marshall-McCrae from STV Studios Factual, with Alana McVerry serving as the series director.

This captivating 'true'-crime series offers an in-depth look into the dark world of online deception and its real-world consequences.

Commenting on the series, Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning for Documentaries, shared: "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 received a 28-month prison sentence, was subject to a 12-month Supervised Release Order, and was added to the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years, effective September 13, 2024.

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.