New ITV drama Until I Kill You tells the true story of a killer’s reign of terror

Anna Maxwell Martin as Delia in new ITV drama

Delia Balmer’s extraordinary fight for survival after a terrifying relationship with convicted killer John Sweeney has been adapted into a new drama, Until I Kill You.

Starring the BAFTA-winning Anna Maxwell Martin as Delia, the show brings to life one woman’s incredible strength against insurmountable odds. Shaun Evans, known for his role in Endeavour, takes on the chilling role of John Sweeney.

Until I Kill You will start on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday, 3 November at 9PM.

Watch a first trailer below…

Based on Delia’s memoir, Living with a Serial Killer, and written by Nick Stevens (The Pembrokeshire Murders), this drama promises to be a gripping and emotional journey through Delia’s darkest days.

In 1991, Delia, a solitary agency nurse living in London, met Sweeney at a local pub. At first, he seemed to embody the artistic, free-spirited man she had been hoping for. But behind his anti-establishment exterior was a dangerous man with a violent streak.

The situation spiralled when Sweeney confessed to murdering a former girlfriend and disposing of her body in an Amsterdam canal. Soon, his violence turned towards Delia in a series of attacks.

After one particularly brutal assault, Sweeney was arrested, but a tragic failure in the court system led to him being granted bail. This allowed him to pursue Delia, and he subjected her to a near-fatal attack, leaving her scarred physically and emotionally.

Sweeney vanished, evading the authorities for years. During that time, Delia bravely worked to piece her life back together. But in 1998, her world was shattered once again when Sweeney was arrested for the murder of another girlfriend in North London. Delia was forced to relive her trauma in court, giving crucial testimony to help convict Sweeney.