David Tennant to play serial killer Dennis Nilsen in mini-series

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Former Doctor Who star David Tennant is set to star as real life serial killer Dennis Nilsen in a three part mini-series called Des, and the production has released a promotional image that shows Tennant as his homicidal character.

As described on Wikipedia, Nilsen was "a Scottish serial killer and necrophile who murdered at least twelve young men in London between 1978 and 1983." The mini-series is based on Brian Masters' book Killing for Company (you can get a copy HERE), and Masters is actually a character on the show. He's being played by Jason Watkins.

The mini-series will 

explore the personal and professional consequences of coming into contact with a man like Nilsen, who murdered boys and young men in his flat. Nilsen went undetected until cops investigate fragments of human flesh and bone clogging the drains.

Tennant and Watkins are joined in the cast by Daniel Mays, who will be playing a cop investigating the case.

All3Media's New Pictures is producing Des for ITV. All3Media International will sell the series internationally. 

ITV's Polly Hill commissioned the series and had this to say about the cast: 

David Tennant is going to be brilliant as Dennis Nilsen, and with Daniel Mays as Jay and Jason Watkins as Brian, this has an incredible cast to bring this story to screen."

Executive producer Kim Varvell of New Pictures added that the series will focus 

on the emotional impact of those terrible crimes, both on those who came into contact with Nilsen himself, and also on the victims' families."

Not only does Tennant look appropriately creepy in the image that was released, he also looks quite similar to the real Des.
 

#DavidTennant as the serial killer Des. THIS SCARES ME pic.twitter.com/siXiwefYjk

— Daily dose of David Tennant (@SophieDDDT) November 22, 2019