FIRST LOOK: Infamous Wimbledon Common murder of model mum Rachel Nickell retold in 'brutal' new Netflix doc and drama
The 'devastating' doc will feature exclusive archive footage
Netflix has unveiled trailers and release dates for two new true crime projects: The Witness and The Murder of Rachel Nickell, a drama and doc centring on the “notorious” Wimbledon Common murder case.
The streaming platform has had its fair share of new true crime documentaries in 2026. We’ve had The Investigation of Lucy Letby, and this week, Should I Marry a Murderer will drop.
This summer, we’re getting two ambitious Netflix projects about the “brutal” murder of Rachel Nickell. One is a drama: The Witness, starring Peaky Blinders’ Jordan Bolger and Kerry Godliman. The other is a documentary, taking a closer look at the real-life events.
What happened to Rachel Nickell?
Rachel Nickell was a 23-year-old woman who lived near Wimbledon Common with her partner André Hanscombe and their two-year-old son, Alex. She was murdered on July 15, 1992.
She had been walking her dog with her son when she was attacked. Her assailant stabbed her 49 times and sexually assaulted her, before leaving her to die. Nickell was later found with Alex by her side, telling her, “Wake up, mummy”. He was the only eyewitness to her death.
The initial police investigation targeted Colin Stagg, a man from Roehampton who walked his dog in the same area. However, a judge ruled the circumstances under which they charged him to be “excessive” and fuelled by “deceptive conduct”, and he was acquitted.
Flash-forward to 2002, when the police reopened the case. Six years later, Robert Napper – a convicted murderer who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and Asperger syndrome – pleaded not guilty to Nickell’s murder, but guilty to manslaughter.
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Netflix’s The Witness will tell Nickell’s story
The Witness, a new drama from Rob Williams (The Victim, Screw), will mostly focus on the aftermath of Nickell’s murder.
According to the synopsis, it will follows “the experiences of Alex and André Hanscombe as they deal with the devastating impact of a brutal act of violence.”
“Navigating the unscrupulous media furore and the urgency of an increasingly desperate police investigation, [André’s] sole concern became the welfare of his traumatised son. This is the story of how a father and son moved through the aftermath of unimaginable tragedy, from darkness into light.”
Who’s in The Witness cast?
Jordan Bolger, known for his roles in Peaky Blinders and This Town, will play André Hanscombe. Max Fincham (The Tower, Invasion) will play Alex as a teenager.
Eleanor Williams, who previously starred in Netflix’s Eurovision movie, will play Nickell.
The series also stars:
- Neil Maskell (Hijack) as DI Keith Pedder
- Kevin Eldon (Rings of Power) as DCI Mick Wickerson
- Mark Stanley (Happy Valley) as DS Ivan Agnew
- Jon Pointing (Sweetpea) as DC Nick Sparshatt
- James Dryden (Deadpool & Wolverine) as DC Paul Miller
- Kerry Godliman (After Life) as André’s mother June
- James Bradshaw (Endeavour) as DCI Tony Nash
- Claire Rushbrook (Rivals) as Dr. Jean Harris-Hendriks
The Murder of Rachel Nickell is a ‘shocking’ true crime doc
Netflix has also produced a true crime documentary about the same case: The Murder of Rachel Nickell.
The film, directed by BAFTA nominee Lucy Bowden (who worked on One Born Every Minute), will explore the “shocking real events” behind the drama and the “notorious, years-long police investigation that followed”.
“Featuring exclusive archive footage, first-hand accounts from family members, and insights from leading forensic experts, the film unpacks how a flawed, highly-publicised inquiry led to the wrong man’s prosecution, before a stunning breakthrough reignited a family’s fight for justice over a decade later.”
When is The Witness and The Murder of Rachel Nickell out?
Netflix will release both The Witness and The Murder of Rachel Nickell on the same day: June 4, 2026.
In a statement, Alex and André Hanscombe said: “Our life has been a battle. We can never express how indebted we are to everyone that’s been a part of this, for the kindness and generosity they’ve extended to us, for the chance they took with us in bringing our story to the screen, and for the care they have taken.
“Our journey has all been by the grace of God and a promise to go on together, and we feel incredibly blessed to be able to share our story in this way.
“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.”
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