ITV to air drama and documentary exploring disappearance of Melissa Caddick

ITV is to air two shows exploring the disappearance of Melissa Caddick.

The Australian millionairess went for a morning run in Sydney in November 2020 and never returned home.

Three months later, surfers on a beach 250 miles south of Sydney made a grisly discovery – a washed up trainer containing human remains.

On the surface she was a successful businesswoman but what transpired was that Melissa, a financial advisor, had cheated 74 victims, including her friends and family, out of $AUD23 million.

ITV has announced new documentary Life and Limb: The Missing Millionairess, teasing: “Life and Limb: The Missing Millionairess will explore the extraordinary disappearance of this committed fraudster, which has spawned countless competing theories amongst web sleuthing communities and generated thousands of news articles.

“It will seek to aid and narrate the story of Melissa’s victims, as well as bring them some true closure in this modern-day tale of deceit, mystery and the still missing millions of dollars.

Executive Producer Fatima Salaria at programme makers Naked said: “At the heart of this missing persons case is a handful of victims and many, many missing millions.

“Potentially finding out what happened to Melissa and drawing attention to her case globally, it could bring an important chance for closure for so many of the people involved.”

Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual, ITV, added: “We’re delighted to be working with Naked who will deliver a compelling insight into this deeply intriguing case with sharp focus on the victims who have lost so much as well as shedding light on the continuing mystery of Melissa’s disappearance and the millions of dollars yet to be recovered.”

The one-off documentary will air alongside a three-part drama telling the story, provisionally titled Vanishing Act.

A teaser shares: “The three part series portrays Australia in the grip of the mystery as theories abound about Melissa’s fate following the discovery of her disembodied foot inside her running shoe.

“Vanishing Act [WT] tells the story of this charismatic con-artist, as well as those who suddenly found themselves grieving for a lost friend and daughter, while coming to terms with a monumental betrayal. Her life was lost, but theirs would never be the same again.”

The series will star Kate Atkinson as Melissa Caddick, Colin Friels as George K, Jerome Velinsky as Anthony Koletti and Maya Stange as Angie Beyersdorf.

Both Life and Limb: The Missing Millionairess and Vanishing Act will be shown on ITV and ITVX.