VIEWERS tuning into new BBC drama Four Lives were left with “chills” after comedian Stephen Merchant transformed into an evil serial killer.
Fans of the Bristol comedian are used to seeing him playing comedy roles, but for this new three-part series he looked unrecognisable as sick murderer Stephen Port.
Known as the “Grindr killer” Port preyed on young gay men on dating and hook apps, before luring them to his Barking flat and killing them.
So viewers watching the opening episode of Four Lives this evening were shocked to see Stephen playing such an evil man.
The 47-year-old comedian was a far cry from his usual cheery persona as he switched from comedy to murder.
Fans couldn’t get over this transformation, with some finding it hard to believe it was Stephen playing evil Port.
Viewers immediately took to Twitter to share their shock, with one tweeting: “Stephen Merchant looks terrifying.”
While this one said: “Stephen is so creepy, I have to keep looking away.”
Another commented: “Stephen is giving me chills playing this serial killer. I can’t believe its him”
Four Lives – which also stars Sheridan Smith – is a drama that tells the true story of four victims of Port identified as Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth, and Jack Taylor.
Port was jailed in November 2016 for drugging and murdering men he met on gay dating app Grindr before dumping their bodies in a graveyard
Although his crimes are known as the Grindr Murders, they are also called the Barking Murders after the town where they occurred.
CAGED FOR LIFE
Evil Port was given a life sentence with a whole life order.
During his trial it was heard how he wanted to fulfil an obsession with having sex with unconscious partners, especially younger men known as “twinks”.
Port drugged his victims with an overdose of GHB so he could carry out his sick fantasies.
The date rape drug (gammahydroxybutrate) is used to treat narcolepsy but it can be highly dangerous with sedative and anaesthetic effects.
Port then dumped his victim’s bodies near a graveyard in Barking, East London, and began an elaborate cover-up.
- Four Lives continues tomorrow night on BBC One at 9pm.
