BBC announces true crime series based on 'stranger-than-fiction' catfishing case

The BBC is gearing up to release a brand new crime series which focuses on the harsh reality of catfishing and cyberstalking as it focuses on a an intriguing true-life story

BBC Three and BBC Scotland are delivering a gripping new three-part documentary series which looks into the disturbing case of a woman whose online catfishing led to a series of cyberstalking crimes.

The Catfish Next Door (working title) explores the twisted story of Adele Rennie, a former NHS nurse from Kilmarnock, whose decade-long campaign of deception and harassment was finally uncovered, earning her a third prison sentence in 2024.

Produced by STV Studios Factual, the series will unravel the disturbing reality behind Adele’s actions, revealing how she used a web of fake identities to target local women.

Over the course of ten years, she carefully crafted online personas and stalked her victims in a sophisticated and manipulative way, leading to life-altering consequences for those affected.

In 2017, during Adele's first trial, Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane called the case "the most astounding narrative of facts" she had encountered in her career.

But this was only the beginning as the series will delve deeper into the complex story, featuring testimonies from some of Adele’s victims, who will finally have the chance to share their experiences and piece together the truth of what actually happened.

The documentary will reveal the toll cyberstalking took on the victims. It will also investigate what drives someone to commit such offences and why some people escalate from online deceit to full-blown cyberstalking.

With The Catfish Next Door, viewers will get a close look at one of the most shocking and unexpected cybercrime cases to date.

The series is a co-commission between BBC Three, BBC Scotland, and BBC iPlayer. The programme has been commissioned by Clare Sillery, Louise Thornton, and Nasfim Haque, with Tom Pullen and David Harro Btn overseeing its development.

Executive producers from STV Studios Factual include Craig Hunter, Wendie Ottewill, and Rosy Marshall-McCrae, while Alana McVerry directs the series.

This compelling true-crime series promises to shed light on the dark world of online deception and its real-world consequences.

Sharing their thoughts on the new series, Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, said: "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 was sentenced to 28 months' imprisonment andmade subject to a 12-month Supervised Release Order. She was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a period of 10 years on 13 September 2024.