Netflix

Netflix’s ‘The Witness’ Takes the Stand in June

Netflix’s docu-drama, 'The Witness,' will arrive with a companion true-crime documentary, 'The Murder of Rachel Nickell.'

Ani Bundel

12 May 2026 — 4 min read

Jahsaiah Williams, Eleanor Williams, and Jordan Bolger in 'The Witness' (Netflix)

In July 1992, Rachel Nickell was attacked and stabbed to death on Wimbledon Common in south-west London as she walked her three-year-old son, Alex. The toddler was the only witness. Left suddenly as a single father of a traumatized little boy, André Hanscombe did his best to protect his kid from the media circus that ensued, but somewhere along the way, the London Met failed to find the killer, instead convicting an innocent man and putting him in prison.

It wasn’t until the mid-aughts that the case was reopened, and Alex, now in his late teens and living in France, was suddenly pulled back into the murder case that haunted his life as new evidence was revealed. The London Met’s failure to identify the correct suspect and accusations that it hadn’t taken the case seriously enough caused a scandal and led to multiple true-crime books, including Deceit, which was adapted into a miniseries in 2021. In 2017, Alex, now grown, released his only memoir, Letting Go.

The Witness is the first to focus not on the murder itself, but the toll it took on the family. It also comes complete with a companion true-crime documentary, The Murder of Rachel Nickell, for those who need the complete story.

Along with the first images and release date came a statement from the family:

“Our life has been a battle. We can never express how indebted we are to everyone that’s been a part of this, for the kindness and generosity they’ve extended to us, for the chance they took with us in bringing our story to the screen, and for the care they have taken. Our journey has all been by the grace of God and a promise to go on together, and we feel incredibly blessed to be able to share our story in this way. We hope that audiences will be left with a testament to the tough battle of life we all face and to the power of faith, hope, love – and never giving up.”

Here’s the series synopsis:

Based on the true story of the violent murder of Rachel Nickell in 1992 in front of her two year-old son Alex while walking through a London park, Rather than purely focusing on the crime itself, the drama zeroes in on the heartbreaking aftermath through the eyes of Rachel’s partner, André Hanscombe, and their two-year-old son, Alex, who was the sole eyewitness to the attack. As André becomes a single parent overnight, he is forced to navigate unimaginable grief, an unscrupulous media frenzy, and an increasingly desperate police investigation—all while making the welfare of his traumatized son his absolute priority. The Witness explores the aftermath of the tragedy, which also saw an innocent man wrongly convicted before the real killer was eventually caught more than 15 years later.

Jordan Bolger, Kerry Godliman, Kevin Eldon, Claire Rushbrook, and Max Fincham in 'The Witness' (Netflix)

The series stars Jordan Bolger (This Town) as André Hanscombe, Max Fincham (The Tower) as teenage Alex Hanscombe, and newcomer Jahsaiah Williams as young Alex. The main ensemble cast includes James Bradshaw (Endeavour) as DCI Tony Nash; Claire Rushbrook (Rivals) as Dr. Jean Harris-Hendriks; James Dryden (The Long Shadow) as DC Paul Miller; Kerry Godliman (Whitstable Pearl) as André’s mother, June; Kevin Eldon (Trigger Point) as DCI Mick Wickerson; Mark Stanley (Happy Valley) as DS Ivan Agnew; Neil Maskell (The Bay) as DI Keith Pedder; and Jon Pointing (Big Boys) as DC Nick Sparshatt.

The supporting cast features Paul Chahidi (PONIES), Wendy-Anne Daloz (Hijack), Oliver Devoti (Brian & Maggie), Jack Shalloo (Belgravia), Tom Ashley (The Devil’s Hour), and Nick Dutton (G’wed).

The three-part drama, The Witness, was written and created by Rob Williams (Suspicion); all episodes were directed by Alex Winckler (Mary & George), with Alison Sterling producing. Williams is also an executive producer alongside John Yorke and Sarah Brown for STV Studios. The documentary, The Murder of Rachel Nickell, was directed and produced by Lucy Bowden, with Emma Tutty, Tanya Winston & Danny Horan as executive producers.