Revelation Films has won a new commission from Sky Crime for the third season of its true crime series, The Real Manhunter (10 x 60).
Commissioned by Emily-Jayne Wilde, Programming Lead for Sky Crime, and Jack Oliver, Head of Co-Productions at Sky and exec produced by Tony Carne and Trevor Drane, The Real Manhunter puts renowned former Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton front and centre as he revisits cases he originally led and explores everything from the crime itself through to the breakthrough moment when the suspect was identified and arrested.
He takes the viewer on a journey from the moment the police were called to the scene, visits key locations, and explains how he and his team managed to gather enough evidence to secure a conviction. A proportion of the new shows now going into production take a different turn with Sutton’s expertise applied to notorious cases he did not originally lead, adding a fresh perspective from one of the UK’s most revered detectives.
Former Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton spent 30 years in the police force, a career that saw him lead many of the most high-profile and successful murder investigations of his generation. Sutton has signed a new exclusive three-year development deal with Revelation Films a relationship that already sees two brand new pure investigation true crime docs Bellfield and West End Girls: The Search for a Serial Killer being taken to market by producer and distributor Signature Entertainment. In Bellfield, Sutton leads his murder squad in the investigation of Bellfield’s recent confession that he in fact killed Lin and Megan Russell and left Josie Russell for dead. Another man, Michael Stone, was convicted of the crimes in 1998. In West End Girls: The Search for a Serial Killer Sutton re-opens a 25-year-old cold case, examining both original and new evidence that proves the link between the murders of Eve Stratford and Lynda Farrow, the notorious ‘bunny girl’ murders, and a completely unconnected killing.
Sutton was portrayed by Martin Clunes in ITV’s three parter, Manhunt in 2019 and four-part drama Manhunt: The Night Stalker in 2021.
Trevor Drane said: ‘As a company we have been identifying key talent and making shows in partnership in the true crime genre for well over a decade. This latest commission shows the enduring appetite audiences have for this returning brand and this development deal will see us adding new stories with Colin for the foreseeable. We’re immensely proud of our history and record of being one step ahead of developing trends, and we look forward to showing the world what comes of this latest deal.’
Emily-Jayne Wilde, Programming Lead for Sky Crime said: ‘The Real Manhunter series, fronted by one of the UK’s successful former DCIs, is one that is highly valued by our dedicated audience and has been a continuous success for Sky. We are incredibly thrilled and honoured to commemorate Revelation Film’s 30-year anniversary with a return series, and with their expertise producing trust that this will be just as much of a huge hit with true-crime audiences everywhere.’
Revelation’s 30-year history has boasted the creation of quality original programming and series, from the hugely popular Faces Of The Underworld series for Discovery to feature documentaries Essex Boys: The Truth, The Krays – Myth Behind The Legend for Netflix and Oil In The Blood. Launched in the early 90s, Revelation first introduced the nation to Paul O’Grady with Lily Savage Live: Paying The Rent, for Channel 4, catapulting O’Grady’s career from gigging stand-up to primetime national treasure.
Jon Creamer
Share this story
