"It can't get more true crime than this," Vicky McClure tells TT on a somewhat poor phone connection from the back seat of a car.
Right now, preparations are underway for the filming of the long-awaited seventh season of "Line of Duty." At the same time, there is the premiere of "Britain's Murder Map," where Vicky McClure and her husband Jonny Owen, who is a producer and actor, go in-depth with five real murder cases.
Three of them, the grave robbers Burke and Hare, the serial killer John Christie and Dr. Crippen, are well known outside the UK. The other two, Bible John and Kelso Cochrane, are famous in their home country.
Back to the 19th century
The oldest case, Burke and Hare, took McClure and Owen back to early 19th century Edinburgh. The "freshest" case is that of Bible John, which took place in the 1960s.
The Bible John case was well known in Glasgow at the time. It's largely about how the press and the media treated the victims. An important and very interesting case," says McClure.
Jonny Owen points out that some of the five cases have contributed to changing the law. The conviction and execution of an innocent man for some of the murders Christie had committed contributed to the debate that led to the abolition of the death penalty in Britain.
It's about how the police influenced suspects. We spoke to police officers who were involved in the 1960s; the ones from the earlier cases weren't around anymore.
Looted graves
The duo have gone through archives and old newspaper clippings and visited the places that have been important to the cases. In the first episode, about grave robbers Burke and Hare, the series also provides an interesting portrayal of how Edinburgh has changed from the early 19th century to the present day. The episode also deals extensively with how class society affected policing.
Class always comes into it. The weak are always the ones who get hurt the most. The working class is always treated differently," says Vicky McClure.
Will there be more cases? Jonny Owen has an idea to take the concept outside the UK.
There are many interesting cases in other countries.
Facts: Vicky McClure
Age: 42.
Family: Husband Jonny Owen.
Lives: Nottingham.
Occupation: Actor.
Previous featured roles: "This Is England" series, "Broadchurch", "Line of Duty", "Without Sin", "Alex Rider", "Insomnia".
Current: In "Britain's Murder Map", which premieres on the History Channel on 23 April.
