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07th Apr 2019

Killing Eve’s Villanelle is based on a real female killer and the story will haunt you

Jade Hayden

Harrowing scenes.

Killing Eve is back this month (this weekend, in fact) and what better way to celebrate the pre-launch than to learn all about the real life female killer that Villanelle is based on?

It won’t give you nightmares at all, we promise.

According to season one writer and director, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jodie Comer’s character is based on the entirely real Angela Simpson.

Never heard of Angela Simpson? Don’t worry, you won’t be able to forget her after you watch this interview.

Not bothered to hit play? No bother, we’ll summarise it for you.

Basically, Simpson is currently serving a life sentence for torturing and murdering a man with disabilities, Terry Neely, in her basement.

Before she killed him, she stabbed him, impaled him, pulled out his teeth, and strangled him.

Afterwards, she dismembered his body and set the various parts on fire. During the above interview, she calmly explains what she did to Neely in a matter-of-fact manner that would suggest that she has absolutely no remorse for her crime.

Which, you know, she probably doesn’t.

Waller-Bridge got wind of this and decided that Simpson would be an unreal shout for her to model Villanelle off, and yeah, she was probably right in fairness.

“She sounds more like a psycho than anyone has ever sounded,” she told the New York Times, before adding, “she sounds so girlie.”

Sounds like Villannelle alright, yeah.

This comes after Killing Eve was nominated for a staggering 14 BAFTAs, meaning that chances are they’ll probably pick up at least one.

They deserve all 14 though, let’s be honest.

Killing Eve returns to BBC America this Sunday, April 7.