First Look - Watch the trailer for eagerly awaited Olivia Colman drama about Mansfield's most brutal double murder

It’s been one of the most eagerly awaited dramas in recent years – but a release date has finally been announced for the Olivia Colman drama which details Mansfield’s most brutal double murder.
Olivia Colman as Susan EdwardsOlivia Colman as Susan Edwards
Olivia Colman as Susan Edwards

And in anticipation, producers Sky and HBO have now released a trailer, ahead of the four-part drama being released.

Landscapers describes the murders of reclusive Forest Town Couple William and Patricia Wycherley who were shot dead and buried in their own back garden at the Blenheim Close home in 1998.

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The killers – daughter and son-in-law Susan and Christopher Edwards – then spent 15 years concealing the killings, posing as the dead couple by replying to letters from doctors and government departments, sending letters and Christmas cards to relatives, and stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds in the process.

The drama, which stars Olivia Colman and Harry Potter actor David Thewlis, was due for release last year but was stalled due to Covid, and will now be avbailable next month.

The Crown and Hot Fuzz actress Colman has been attached to the Sky/HBO project from the outset, when it was first announced.

The Oscar-winner, whose husband, Ed Sinclair, wrote the screenplay, will play Susan Edwards and David Thewlis, who played Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter movies, will play Christopher Edwards.

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Speaking about the role, he said: “This is without doubt the very finest project I have worked on for many years.

David Thewlis also stars as Christopher EdwardsDavid Thewlis also stars as Christopher Edwards
David Thewlis also stars as Christopher Edwards

"Everything about Landscapers is magical, there is nothing like it and I’m impatient to get to work."

According to the IMBD website, performers Samuel Anderson, Karl Johnson, Felicity Montagu, Kate O’Flynn, Dipo Ola, Daniel Rigby and Gianni Calchetti are also involved in the project.

The murders eventually came to light after the Department for Work and Pensions tried to contact William Wycherley, thinking that he was still alive, to assess his benefits as he approached his 100th birthday.

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Knowing the game was up, the Edwards then fled to France and quickly ran out of money.

Christopher Edwards then called his step-mother, begging for cash, and confessed that the Wycherleys were buried in the rear garden of their former home on Blenheim Close, and police were alerted.

Earlier this year, film crews came to Mansfield to shoot scenes for the drama and some key local landmarks – including the town’s iconic viaduct – which were shot for background scenes.

Last year, when the drama was first announced, Nottinghamshire Police Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin, who led the investigation into the murders when he was a detective chief inspector, commented on the plans.

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He said: “I have mixed emotions about the programme being made. It involves victims who have a family and people’s lives have been changed forever because of this. Having said that, I understand why people want to hear about this case. It’s a unique story and I will be interested to see how it plays out on television.”

Landscapers will be available on streaming services from December 7.

A Garden of Bones: Blood runs thicker – written by your Chad’s deputy Editor Andy Done-Johnson about the murders – is also available on Amazon.

You can watch the video here.

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