For those looking for an enthralling new true crime drama to settle down in front of ITV has you covered: its brand-new series, Until I Kill You, aired earlier this week and is already generating buzz.
Starring Anna Maxwell Martin and Shaun Evans, it’s based on the shocking story of Delia Balmer, a nurse who strikes up a romantic relationship with the murderer John Sweeney – and almost ends up becoming one of his victims.
Dark and violent, the show is made by its powerful cast. But who plays who? Here’s what you need to know.
Delia Balmer, played by Anna Maxwell Martin
Delia is a free spirit and traveller. She works as a nurse, and meets John one night at the pub. While they don’t immediately take a liking to each other, he wins her around and John soon moves in. Shortly after, Delia discovers that her new boyfriend is perhaps a whole lot more violent than he’s been letting on.
“She’s an incredibly fascinating person and her responses to things are very particular to her,” Martin said about the role. “It was really interesting and liberating to play someone like Delia, who is unapologetically herself and gives herself licence to express everything she’s thinking and feeling."
Martin is a British actor. Born in 1977 in East Yorkshire, she attended LAMDA and added the name Maxwell (her maternal grandfather’s first name) to distinguish her from another Anna Martin in the Equity register. She has since appeared in shows like Line of Duty (as DCS Patricia Carmichael) and BBC comedy Motherland, and has won two BAFTAs for her work in Bleak House and Poppy Shakespeare.
John Sweeney, played by Shaun Evans
Evans plays John Sweeney, a real-life killer who forms a romantic relationship with Delia. The pair initially meet at a local pub, but after they move in together, he reveals a dark side. In addition to confessing some dark truths to her, John attacks Delia with an axe and knife, keeping her hostage and tying her to her own bed.
"Purposefully and respectfully, I never met Delia or anyone connected with the case,” Sweeney told the Guardian about the role. "I started to read the book then put it down because I didn’t want to see the story exclusively from Delia’s point of view.
"There were moments on set when you’d think: ‘Bloody hell, this actually happened!’ But I found I had to put that aside.”
Liverpool-born Evans moved to London at the age of 18 to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His first major role was in Channel 4’s 2002 comedy drama Teachers; but he’s gone on to appear as the young Morse in ITV series Endeavour and as Coxswain Elliot Glover in Vigil.
Leah, played by Amanda Wilkin
Leah is one of the nurses that Delia works alongside. Though they don’t always get along, Leah becomes a good friend and warns Delia early about John’s behaviour.
Amanda Wilkin’s acting career spans almost two decades, starting with a role in Gavin and Stacey in 2007. She’s since appeared in shows including Spent, Am I Being Unreasonable? and The Split.
WPC Jane Barker, played by Lucy Thackeray
As John’s behaviour worsens, his name comes to the attention of the police. Jane is the only female police constable on the case and visits Delia in hospital after John attacks her at Christmas.
Actor Lucy Thackeray, who plays her, is currently starring in the stage adaptation of The Buddha of Suburbia at the Barbican, but her career includes roles in Call the Midwife, Top Boy and Hatton Garden, as well as Marvel series Moon Knight opposite Oscar Isaac.
David, played by Kevin Doyle
David is Delia’s other love interest in the series, who comes into her life after her harrowing ordeal with John. Calm and considered, he helps her take a stand during the court case against John, in her attempt to gain justice.
English actor Doyle is best known for playing the valet Joseph Molesley in Downton Abbey, DS John Wadsworth in Happy Valley (for which he won two SAG Awards and a RTS award) and John Parr in TV show The Lakes. He’s also set to appear in upcoming the Sally Wainwright drama Riot Women.
Stewart Balmer, played by Cory English
English plays Stewart Balmer, Delia’s brother who lives in Texas. English himself was born in New York state, the youngest of four boys. He started out as a dancer, but moved to the UK in 1998 to study classical acting. Since then, he’s appeared in West End such as like Guys and Dolls, as well as the New York production of Young Frankenstein.
Jack Halstead, played by Mitchell Mullen
Jack is the father of one of John’s previous murder victims, Melissa, who is seeking justice for his daughter.
Mullen originally comes from Massachusetts, and now lives in London. He’s appeared in shows like The New Pope, CBS’s The Man Who Fell To Earth and Outlander.
