The terrifying true story behind ITV’s latest crime drama Delia Balmer
ITV’s latest crime drama tells the chilling true story of a woman who lived with a serial killer for three years until she found “rope, tape and gloves” under her bed before being brutally attacked with a wooden axe.
In 1994, Delia Balmer was hacked to within an inch of her life by sadistic sewer killer John Sweeney, who also murdered two other women and is suspected of other murders.
Before the attempt on her life, Sweeney had held her captive and repeatedly raped her in a week-long ordeal for which he was arrested but released on bail.
He immediately located Ms Balmer – who he had been dating for three years, having met at a pub in Camden, London – and attacked her with a wooden ax and dull hammer, losing a finger and several in the process suffered other injuries.
ITV has commissioned the four-part true crime drama Delia Balmer, which stars Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin as Delia Balmer and Endeavor actor Shaun Evans as John Sweeney.
Ms Balmer previously revealed she was devastated to wake up in intensive care after the attack, admitting: “Outside the door I saw this finger flying through the air and I thought, ‘This is it. I do not want to live anymore . I don’t want to live in this anger and pain.
“So I wasn’t happy when I woke up in an intensive care unit. I thought, ‘Oh no, I’m alive. Now what the hell?”
Sweeney was on the run for six years, killing 31-year-old mother Paula Fields, whose body was found in Regent’s Canal in London.
Three other women known to have dated Sweeney were never found.
That he was jailed for life for double murder in 2011, 21 years after his first killing, was no consolation to Ms. Balmer.
She said of The Mirror in 2017: “He wanted me to die of pain and he got his wish. I will die in pain, mentally and physically.’
Retired nurse Ms. Balmer correctly predicted that she would be Sweeney’s next target before she knew of his murderous past when she found a “body disposal kit”.
She had first met Sweeney in a pub in Camden, north London, and the two became close after sharing a love of travel.
Little did she know at the time that he had already murdered a former partner, Melissa Halstead, and was going to kill Paula Fields as well.
Mrs Balmer knew she was likely to meet the same fate as Miss Halstead when she found gloves, a groundsheet, rope, a saw and duct tape.
Ms Balmer – who wrote a book Living With A Serial Killer (2017) about her ordeal – said it was: “A cadaver disposal kit meant for me.”
Her relationship with Merseyside native Sweeney soured when her possessive behavior led to death threats and assault.
This culminated in Ms Balmer being tied to her bed and sexually abused for seven days, with Sweeney threatening to cut off her tongue if she cried out for help.
During this disgusting campaign of abuse, he confessed to killing Miss Halstead and dumping her body in a Rotterdam canal in 1990.
However, Ms Balmer eventually informed the police of what had happened, and Sweeney was taken to Pentonville Prison, only to be released on bail and track her down before his brutal attack.
The drama Delia Balmer premieres on ITV1 and ITVX and is based on the book by Ms Balmer. Filming will begin in February 2023.
Anna Maxwell Martin said: “Telling an important story with the excellent team at World Productions, producer Ken Horn, director Julia Ford and a brilliant cast is always exciting!
“Since it’s being brought to life by Nick Stevens, hopefully we’ll review Delia carefully,” the actress added.
Shaun Evans continued: “I have previously worked separately with World Productions and ITV, so I’m excited to join forces to tell this story.
“A story rightly told through the victim’s lens, Delia. We have an excellent script by Nick Stevens and I couldn’t be happier to be working with Anna.”
The drama is set to chronicle the ordeal Ms Balmer endured at the hands of Sweeney and her traumatic journey through the police and criminal justice systems as they attempt to prosecute him for his crimes.