Two huge TV stars are among those rumoured to play child killer Lucy Letby in a drama from Line of Duty ’s Jed Mercurio. Letby, 34, was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six more while working as a nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016 . She was given a whole life sentence in August 2023 following a ten-month trial.
Letby is due to face a retrial at Manchester Crown Court this month on one charge of attempting to murder a baby girl in February 2016. Now, Bodyguard creator Mercurio, 58, is set to create a televised drama about the neonatal nurse, with Killing Eve star Jodie Comer and Game Of Thrones ’ Sophie Turner both tipped for the lead role. According to The Sun , the director will be working alongside hospital consultant paediatrician Dr Ravi Jayaram on the show, who was a whistle-blower in the Letby case.
‘Jed sees this as an important story that should not just be chronicled in a drama but also explored,’ a source told the publication. The insider continued: ‘It aims to try to explain how her crimes could have gone on for so long and how others — particularly Dr Jayaram — tried to act when suspicions were raised. ‘Bagging a high-profile name to play Letby would help give the show the attention it deserves too, but it’s not a role to take lightly.
’ The drama is thought to be airing on ITV1, though a release date has not been confirmed and it is unclear whether it will be.