Award-winning RTÉ podcast series The Nobody Zone has been turned into a TV series.
The 2020 true crime podcast, produced by RTÉ Documentary On One and Third Ear Productions, explored the twilight world of Kieran Kelly, an Irish serial killer living in London.
The TV adaptation promises to blend "documentary and drama with a unique twist" and will bring to life the extraordinary original audio from Kieran Kelly's confession to UK police 40 years ago.
Homeless Irishman Kelly was arrested in London in 1983 for the relatively minor theft of a wedding ring. During his interview with police, he confessed to a series of brutal murders going back 30 years.
On tape, Kelly recounts his crimes with spine-chilling candour and convinces the police that they are in the presence of Ireland and perhaps Britain’s most prolific and dangerous killer. However, questions remain about the real purpose behind Kelly’s willing confession.
The documentary team had exclusive access to 120 minutes of the confession.
Actor Ned Dennehy plays Kelly. Using Kelly’s own voice, Ned lip-syncs his performance.
In addition to this dramatised confession, the documentary series had access to an expert team of investigators and documentary makers who have accumulated over eight years of research on the life and exploits of Kieran Kelly.
The contributors to the documentary also include a builder who employed Kelly as a casual labourer over several years, unaware of his murderous activity but wary of his explosive temper.
A forensic psychologist also contributes, who has studied the audio tapes to explore the motivation behind Kelly’s crimes and to find clues to his personality and character.
The Nobody Zone – Interview with an Irish Serial Killer will broadcast on Monday 6 November and 13 November at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
The podcast series is available to listen to here.
