Netflix has announced a new scripted true crime drama series titled The Witness, set to premiere in 2025. The three-part series recounts the brutal 1992 murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common and its lasting impact on her family, particularly her two-year-old son Alex, who was the sole eyewitness to the crime.
Based on the memoir and experiences of Alex Hanscombe and his father André, the series follows their journey from 1992 through the early 2000s as they navigate the aftermath of Rachel's death. It explores how André became a single parent overnight and had to set aside his own grief to support his traumatised son, all while under intense media scrutiny and a flawed police investigation.
André and Alex, who were consulted on the show, expressed their gratitude: “We can’t thank STV Studios and Netflix enough for helping share our story and it’s a blessing to be working with them. Our journey has all been by the grace of God and a promise to go on together. We hope that audiences will be left with a testament to the tough battle of life we all face and to the power of faith, hope, love — and never giving up.”
The cast for The Witness has yet to be announced. The series details the murder of 23-year-old Rachel Nickell, who was stabbed 49 times and sexually assaulted while walking with her son and dog on July 15, 1992. Alex was found by her body, pleading with her to get up and placing a piece of paper on her like a plaster.
In 1994, Colin Stagg stood trial for the murder but was acquitted after the police used a ‘honey trap’ tactic. The real killer, Robert Napper, was convicted of manslaughter in 2008 on grounds of diminished responsibility; he had also murdered Samantha Bisset and her daughter in 1993.
