Ludwig star on dramatic moment she was tied to a bed naked in terrifying true-life scenes

has played a plethora of real-life people in her acting career, from Cassandra Austen in Becoming Jane to journalist Heather Brooke in On Expenses and Sally Keys in Reg. But none compare to her compelling role in ITV1’s Until I Kill You. Anna plays in the drama based on a shocking true story of how she survived a serial killer. But until she was approached for the role, Anna had never heard the dark tale.

“I actually live in Kentish Town where this is set, where Delia lived, and I didn’t know anything about it,” admits Anna, 47. “So when I read the script, I was very much in shock and awe. Delia is a real person, an amazing exceptionally brave person.” The four-part series tells the story of Delia, an agency nurse, who in the 90s survived a near-fatal relationship with . The story follows her traumatic journey through the police and criminal justice system as they attempt to prosecute John for his crimes.

READ MORE:

Playing sinister John is Endeavour star , 44, who is absolutely terrifying when he steps into character. “To be candid, I was repelled when I first read the script,” admits Shaun. “My reaction was, ‘I don’t know if I fancy that.’ But then I thought there’s actually something quite interesting in it, and it’s a territory I’d not explored before. And professionally, we always want to be challenged. It’s a delicate balance too because both of these people are real. So I stayed away from reading Delia’s book, and from meeting her as well. But I watched the documentary and listened a lot to John’s voice and looked at his drawing – I had them in my room before I went to set. Beyond that, it’s a job, so it’s all about using your imagination.”

In the drama, Delia first comes across John in a pub. Following their encounter, a romance begins to blossom, but fairly soon after, John’s manipulative and controlling side begins to surface. In a terrifying turn of events, John confesses to killing a former girlfriend and keeps Delia captive in her own home, scenes which Shaun found particularly tough to film. “The scene that had the biggest impact was where Delia’s tied to the bed,” says Shaun. “And then she managed to get untied, and the scene is really about John’s manipulation of her. I remember it being an emotional moment, and the director said the same thing, it was a strange atmosphere.”

Ann admits, “I didn’t have the same response as Shaun to that scene. Partly because when you’re tied to a bed completely naked and filmed in front of a group, your head goes to a practical place. What I found more impactful was Shaun bringing John to life, it was very realistic with the violence, particularly when he attacks Delia on the steps.” As the story is a sensitive topic, writer Nick Stevens decided it was important to meet with Delia before filming.

“She was half an hour late and wouldn’t look me in the eye,” explains Nick. “She was very agitated, very angry and a lot of that anger was directed at the police and the court system. I had never seen a true crime drama that was told primarily from the perspective of the victim, as opposed to the police procedural version.” As the series continues, there’s a time jump of two years where Delia, after getting her life back on track, is dragged back into the trauma. It happens when John is arrested for murder and she’s asked to give evidence, which means facing him in court.

“Delia’s reaction in the Old Bailey was very extreme,” says Nick. “And I believe that has a lot to do with fear of John being electric in the courtroom. What becomes clear then is that the justice system, as it’s set up, wasn’t able to deal with somebody reacting in that way, regardless of why she got there. People got impatient with Delia when they should have had endless compassion dealing with somebody who was highly traumatised.”

For Anna, those scenes were vital to the essence of the drama. “That’s what part of the story is about, when someone doesn’t look like a victim, how are they treated?” ponders Anna. “Now, Delia is a forthright person who still dances and still travels, she went on to thrive in her life.”

READ MORE: