The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself star Nadia Parkes is leading the BBC’s upcoming drama about the terrifying kidnapping of British model Chloe Ayling.
Parkes will portray Ayling in six-parter Kidnapped [working title], which was revealed by Deadline in April, and she is joined by Adrian Edmondson (Rain Dogs, A Spy Among Friends), Nigel Lindsay (The Capture, The Salisbury Poisonings), Olive Gray (Halo, Rose), Eleanor Romandini (The White Lotus, Il Nostro Generale), Julian Swiezewski (The Passing Bells, Krucjata) and Christine Tremarco (The Responder, Casualty). Further casting will be announced in due course.
Based on Ayling’s book, the series follows her abduction in Italy and subsequent bravery and resilience in captivity, followed by a court case that put her kidnappers in jail. Yet despite their convictions, Chloe faced headlines accusing her of faking her own kidnapping, and found herself at the center of a media storm.
Parkes played Annalise O’Brien in Joe Barton’s Netflix fantasy drama The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, along with Rosa de Vargas in Starz’ The Spanish Princess
“This is a timely and important story about how we perceive trauma in the media,” said Parkes. “I feel honoured to be playing Chloe and to be a part of this adaptation for the BBC.”
Killing Eve writer Georgia Lester is penning Kidnapped and it is being produced by BBC Studios for BBC Three. The BBC said it is being made in full cooperation with Ayling and is filming in Italy and the UK.
Kidnapped is directed by Al Mackay (Without Sin, COBRA) and produced by Clare Shepherd (Viewpoint, The A Word). EPs are Priscilla Parish, Michael Parke and Andrew Morrissey for BBC Studios, with Lucy Richer doing the same for the BBC.