The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door shares shocking first-hand accounts of deadly health nightmare
Former Prime Minister Theresa May even shares her memoriesThe Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door is an explosive new documentary featuring raw and captivating interviews with those at the heart of the unprecedented emergency.
In 2018, the cathedral city of Salisbury in Wiltshire became the epicentre of a potentially deadly health nightmare.
Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were targeted in a nerve agent attack that not sent shockwaves through the UK, but sparked an international diplomatic crisis.
The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door is a brand new feature-length documentary recounting those dreadful days.
Landing on Sky and NOW, viewers will hear from top-level experts directly involved. Former Prime Minister Theresa May will be sharing her memories, along with Home Secretary at the time, Amber Rudd.
Salisbury residents will also be opening up, including a shopkeeper who sold groceries to Skripal. Innocent local Charlie Rowley will also recall the moment he discovered the discarded perfume bottle of Novichok poison.
Tragically, Charlie gave it to his partner Dawn Sturgess – and she later died.
Strap in, folks. This is one hell of a story.
The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door on Sky
Sky’s new take on The Salisbury Poisonings isn’t the first documentary about the crisis. But given the cast list of contributors, the drama couldn’t be brought closer to your living room.
The broadcaster describes the film as “a cinematic portrait of loyalty and betrayal and a prescient tale of Russian aggression which is relevant to us all today”.
A synopsis reads: “At its heart, this is a story about loyalty and betrayal, and the collision of two men: Sergei Skripal and Vladimir Putin, the dictator determined to settle an old score.
“Through bold and propulsive storytelling with a deeply human lens, the film reconstructs Skripal’s life as a spy using his own words and takes us through the dramatic events when he was poisoned with the deadly nerve agent Novichok.”
It’s still hard to believe this happened in a quiet and historic city where not a lot goes on.
Who is in the documentary?
The list of contributors is lengthy. And those sharing their memories and experiences ranges from top MI6 agents to everyday people on the streets.
Theresa May, who was Prime Minister at the time, has been interviewed. She’s joined in the documentary by Amber Rudd, National Security Advisor Sir Mark Sedwill and MI6 Chiefs Sir John Sawers and Sir Richard Dearlove.
Counterterrorism officers and ex-KGB agents will give their thoughts.
But the rawest of testimonies are likely to be those of the locals. These include a priest, local reporters and a shopkeeper. The doctor who saved Sergei and Yulia’s lives in hospital also features.
Expert Charlie’s interview to be a painful one. Charlie will recount his story of survival against the backdrop of his tragic loss of Dawn.
Investigative journalist Christo Grozev will also feature in exclusive scenes. Mr Grozev is the man who first exposed the culprits.
“Alarmingly”, as Sky puts it, he will be bringing the nightmare to the present day with his views on the grey conflict between Russia and The West.
When is The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door on?
The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door is landing next month. It will be available to watch on both Sky and NOW from Tuesday August 4, 2026.
For the Americans among us, it is already available to watch on CNN.
We definitely are marking this one in the diary.
