Caithness writer's 'chilling and gripping' drama-documentary to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
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A CHILLING and gripping drama-documentary by Caithness writer, Colin MacDonald, is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
The five-part series is called An Eye for a Killing and tells the story of 19th century serial killers William Burke and William Hare, who murdered 16 people in Edinburgh in a ten month period in 1828.
It explodes the myth that they were graverobbers – and remembers and shines light on the forgotten victims.
The series is narrated by BAFTA winner Jack Lowden, recently seen in The Gold on BBC1 and Slow Horses on Apple TV. There’s a cast of sixteen including Thurso actor Helen MacKay, Gavin Mitchell (from Still Game), Maureen Carr and Paul Young.
MacDonald, who comes from Wick but lives in Edinburgh, said: "It’s been something I have wanted to write for a long time. When I got the chance, during lockdown, it was an opportunity to go back to the original trial records from 1828 and other documents to investigate how these two canal labourers came to kill so many people and sell their bodies to the anatomist Robert Knox for use in his highly lucrative lectures.
"It’s a chilling and gripping story and trying to understand William Burke in particular had its disturbing moments. He was a heavy presence around me for a while, and one night I dreamed I was smothering somebody and there was a hand on my shoulder. It was Burke, who said 'No, no, this is how you do it. Let me show you.' I woke up in a sweat."
MacDonald researched three of the pair’s victims – one of whom, Mary Paterson, was just eighteen when she was murdered. Helen MacKay plays Mary.
"Having Helen play Mary Paterson was what I wanted from the start. I knew she could play her with passion and intensity and highlight her dignity and strength of character. I was lucky that Helen was available to play her – and what a cracking performance she gives. Helen has been in a few of my dramas – I am blessed to have that Caithness connection."
MacKay, who is 37 and has lived in Glasgow since 2009, said she is "so lucky" to be involved in the production and to work with "some of the best actors in Scotland." She worked with MacDonald before in Weir of Hermiston and Callum's Road.
She will feature in two episodes – Mary is introduced in the first with her story being told in the second. "Mary's life was taken too soon but the way it is written is just incredible and looks at how her life could have been if Burke and Hare had not crossed her path. It is a fantastic piece and Colin is an amazing writer."
Helen, who works as a part-time lecturer in acting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and has a four-year-old daughter Nell with partner Ross Henderson, added: "The recording went brilliantly and I am looking forward to hearing the other episodes that I am not involved in."
An Eye for a Killing was selected as the Pick of The Week in The Observer at the weekend. It is also one of the choices of the week in the Radio Times and the Daily Mail.
The first episode will be broadcast today (Friday, April 28) at 2.15pm on BBC Radio 4 and is available from 8am on BBC Radio Sounds.
