The three-part series – which continues tonight and concludes tomorrow – follows the story of notorious serial killer and necrophiliac Dennis Nilsen, who is played by David Tennant. The civil servant murdered at least 15 men and boys between 1978 and 1983, luring his victims to his home under the pretense of offering food and shelter.

The show doesn’t depict any of the murders on screen, and instead chooses to focus on the psychology behind them. Responding to some criticism that the series “glorifies” Nilsen, Tennant told BBC News that it has been made “in no way to celebrate the macabre, but to memorialise the victims as much as anything”.

He added: “That’s one of the reasons for telling this story. Of course, when you do a story like this, everyone involved is very aware that you have to tread carefully and that you must be sensitive to the variety of reactions that it will provoke.”

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