The Secret, starring James Nesbitt as double-killer Colin Howell, is a true crime drama that will make your skin crawl. Drawing on the real-life case of the Ballymoney dentist, the four-part series stars Nesbitt in what many still regard as one of his creepiest performances.
ITV first broadcast the BAFTA-nominated drama in 2016. The series revisits the disturbing story of a man whom the community once viewed as a “respectable dentist” and trusted “pillar of the community” — until the truth came out. Behind the façade, Howell plotted murder with his lover, Hazel Buchanan, a married Sunday school teacher, in a case that shocked Northern Ireland and the wider UK.
Viewers now have renewed reason to revisit The Secret. This week alone, two new documentaries shine a fresh light on Howell’s crimes. On Sunday (January 25), BBC Two airs Confessions of a Killer, the first part of a documentary that features confession tapes Howell recorded when he finally admitted to murder, alongside emotional testimony from those who knew the victims. Then, on Tuesday (January 27), ITV follows up with Killer in the House: The Murders of Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan, which reexamines the notorious double killing.
James Nesbitt as dentist-turned-killer Colin Howell in The Secret (Credit: ITV)
Is James Nesbitt drama about Colin Howell a true story?
Support authors and subscribe to content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.
