‘They’re 30 or so miles to the north out!’ The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe is blasted by Hartlepool residents for cast’s ‘insulting attempt’ at local accent in ITV’s ‘harrowing’ true story about John Darwin’s notorious fake death in 2002
ITV’s The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe premiered on Saturday night before being blasted by Hartlepool residents for the cast’s ‘rubbish attempt’ at the town’s north-eastern accent.
The ‘harrowing’ true drama about John Darwin’s infamous fake death in 2002 was met with rave reviews by some, however a collective of fans slated the drama for ‘insulting’ them with associations to the Geordie twang.
Despite the criticism, others lauded the ‘gripping’ masterpiece for being ‘brilliantly dark and superb’, adding that they were shocked to see the ‘coercive’ control of the main character being played out by Eddie Marsan.
Oh no: ITV’s The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe premiered on Saturday night before being blasted by Hartlepool residents for the cast’s ‘rubbish attempt’ at the town’s north-eastern accent (Eddie Marsan in-character)
They wrote on Twitter: ‘The thief, his wife and a canoe, so, why is it that ITV think people from Teesside speak with a Geordie accent. This happened in Hartlepool and we DO NOT have that accent!!!! Insulting!!!!’
‘The Thief, His Wife & The Canoe” a story researched and filmed… AND THEY DID NO RESEARCH ON THE ACCENT. I saw the trailer I wont be able to watch the programme. We do NOT have a Geordie accent in Hartlepool.’
‘Lmao at all the hartlepudlians raging that the canoe man thing was filmed on the headland, not Seaton. And also raging at the rubbish attempts at our accent. I mean, come on guys, you should know by now, normal people can’t talk like us.’
‘The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe. I remember this happening like it was yesterday, yet I don’t remember Hartlepool folk having Geordie accents [laughing emoji].’
Upset: The ‘harrowing’ true drama about John Darwin’s infamous fake death in 2007 was met with rave reviews by some, however a collective of fans slated the drama for ‘insulting’ them with associations to the Geordie twang (Monica Dolan in-character)
”Watching The Thief, His Wife & The Canoe and I’m yet to hear a single Hartlepool accent……’
‘The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe. I’m enjoying it. Playing spot the location is always popular here (even though the TV house is not in Seaton Carew!) The accent is 30 or so miles to the north out! However, Marsan and Dolan are fascinating to watch.’
Meanwhile, fans of the programme contradicted these claims, claiming it was ‘literally perfect’, which they are ‘loving so far’.
Taking to the social media platform, they penned: ‘This canoe guy really seems a horrible, vindictive piece of s**t and I really don’t think he deserves two programmes to be made about him #canoeman #thethiefhiswifeandthecanoe.’
Offended: They wrote on Twitter: ‘The thief, his wife and a canoe, so, why is it that ITV think people from Teesside speak with a Geordie accent. This happened in Hartlepool and we DO NOT have that accent!!!! Insulting!!!!’
‘Watched the ITV programme about the canoe guy and I remember it being reported at the time, but the coercive tactics used by the guy is laid bare and some watching the programme will think it was a drama written for tv and not actually real. #CanoeMan.’
‘Why is no one talking about the horrific coercive control? Man needed to be in a canoe accident #thethiefhiswifeandthecanoe.’
‘I’m actually gripped by the thief his wife and the canoe. Didn’t think I would enjoy it but so far so good, casting is awesome too.’
‘The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe Is so funny what a horrible man he is!’
Fans: Despite the criticism, others lauded the ‘gripping’ masterpiece for being ‘brilliantly dark and superb’, adding that they were shocked to see the ‘coercive’ control of the main character being played out by Eddie
‘Though The Thief His Wife And The Canoe would be a laff but finding it a bit overwhelming and harrowing TBQH.’
‘watching the thief, his wife and his canoe and the casting of eddie marsan is literally perfect.’
Of course I’m watching The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe. I was obsessed with that case for years [crying emoji].’
‘The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe is brilliantly dark and superb. Loving it so far.’
In the trailer for ITV’s The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe, Anne Darwin (Monica Dolan) proclaims: ‘What have I done?’ as her involvement in her husband’s scheme unravels.
The series is based on the true story of the John Darwin disappearance case, the man who faked his own death to claim life insurance and avoid bankruptcy – before turning up alive five years later.
The latest promo clip of the series shows John (Eddie Marsan) and Anne concoting their scheme and keeping the shocking secret of John’s faked death from their family.
Doubts: In the trailer for ITV’s The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe, Anne Darwin (Monica Dolan) proclaims: ‘What have I done?’ as her involvement in her husband’s scheme unravels
In the trailer, John is seen telling Anne: ‘I’m going to fake my death. What could be simpler?’
In a voice over, she says: ‘I begged him to turn himself in,’ and then asks him: ‘Where have you decided to live when it’s all over?’
He replies: ‘Next door. Bloody genius!’
One of Anne’s sons, who believed their father was really dead, is then seen saying: ‘We should never give up hope, should we mam?’
Shocking: The series is based on the true story of the John Darwin disappearance case, the man who faked his own death to claim life insurance and avoid bankruptcy – before turning up alive five years later
Drama: The latest promo clip of the series shows John (Eddie Marsan) and Anne concoting their scheme and keeping the shocking secret of John’s faked death from their family
Fall out: Once their secret is out, John and Anne’s sons are seen speaking to the press, saying: ‘How could our mam continue to let us believe that our dad had died when he was very much alive?’
Anne is shown feeling guilty for her involvement in the crime as she asks John: ‘You want me to exploit people’s genuine sympathy for your benefit>’
He says: ‘Well, obviously don’t put it like that, but yes.’
Once their secret is out, John and Anne’s sons are seen speaking to the press, saying: ‘How could our mam continue to let us believe that our dad had died when he was very much alive?’
The trailer concludes with a sombre voiceover from Anne asking: ‘What have I done?’
The show’s writer, Chris Lang, described the plot as ‘undeniably tragic, but also, on occasion, bleakly funny’ when explaining why he decided to create the series.
Coming soon: The four-part drama The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe is set to air on Easter Sunday and stars Eddie Marsan and Monica Dolan
He further explained: ‘It was just a story that kept on giving and so saying ‘yes’ to it was a no-brainer.’
Happy-Go-Lucky’s Eddie Marsan portrays John in the drama, while Monica Dolan takes on the role of his wife Anne, who became complicit in her husband’s deception as she started to convince the world that he had gone missing.
Despite describing him as a ‘narcissist’, Eddie did admit that he can ‘see myself in him’ as he opened up about his own self confidence.
He explained: ‘I can identify with John’s hubris. As an actor, I go from thinking I’m going to win an Oscar one week to thinking I’m going to be driving a cab the next. My self-esteem goes up and down all the time.
True story: Eddie Marsan portrays John Darwin, while Monica Dolan takes on the role of his wife Anne, who became complicit in her husband’s deception (The real John and Anne Darwin in 2006, in the shot that proved he was still alive)
Leading male: Eddie admitted that he can ‘see myself in him’ as he opened up about his own self confidence
‘So I can completely understand that in John, I understand that dreamer inside him, but not that part of him that can’t deal with reality.’
Eddie also shared his joy to work alongside Monica, describing himself as a ‘big fan’ of hers as he dubbed her ‘one of the best actresses in the country’.
Monica’s character, Anne, narrates the story from her point of view during the series, but revealed she only had the script to work from – as the real life Anne ‘did not want to be involved’.
Role: ‘I can completely understand that in John, I understand that dreamer inside him, but not that part of him that can’t deal with reality,’ Eddie explained
Character: Monica’s character, Anne, narrates the story from her point of view during the series, but revealed she only had the script to work from – as the real life Anne ‘did not want to be involved’
She outlined: ‘From the beginning, Anne didn’t want to contribute to this production. She’s done her time and I respect that. I’m okay to leave well enough alone.
‘Also, I’ve learnt that the least useful thing an actor can bring into the room is judgement. That’s almost the opposite of what we should be doing. I also want to put it in capital letters that this is a character in a script. I’ve never met her.’
The Darwins’ jaw-dropping deception tricked insurers, police and even their two sons into believing the ex-prison officer had died in a North Sea accident.
The couple started a new life in Panama but the tale unravelled when John came back from the dead in 2007 – claiming to have suffered amnesia.
Scene: In snaps from the show the couple are seen shaking hands with Mario Vilar, head of the firm Move To Panama (Jorge Albuquerque) and his wife Karina (Mariana Norton)
They were jailed for the fraud, with the extent of the parents’ deception shocking the world.
The show explores the extent of Anne’s culpability and how much she was forced to go along with her husband’s plan.
Their sons, Anthony and Mark, are shown supporting their supposedly widowed mother for years, throwing wreaths into the North Sea in front of Anne’s home where their father was hiding next door.
Art imitating life: ITV’s new drama The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe has recreated the famous photo of John and his wife Anne that proved he was still alive after he faked his own death as part of an insurance scam
Drama: The creators of the ITV drama have called on their audience to forgive John Darwin’s wife Anne
When their sons visit her in Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, John listens to their conversations through the dividing walls.
Writer Chris Lang wanted the audience to debate among themselves just how much to blame Anne.
The final of four episodes shows the truth coming out – and later, Anne’s efforts to rebuild her family life in a way John – remarried and living in the Philippines – has not.
Her attempts at reconciliation and her obvious feelings of guilt – in counterpoint to John – give the story a fresh twist.
Lang said: ‘Good people do bad things. Let’s try and understand, let’s try and forgive because if her sons could forgive her, I would hope that we can as well.’
Sad: The sons, Anthony and Mark, are shown supporting their supposedly widowed mother for years, throwing wreaths into the North Sea in front of Anne’s home where their father was hiding next door
Series: None of the Darwin family were involved in making the drama, though the script was based on court documents, police interviews, TV appearances and newspaper stories (Mark Sanley as Mark Darwin)
None of the Darwin family were involved in making the drama, though the script was based on court documents, police interviews, TV appearances and newspaper stories.
But one of the Darwin sons was thought to have turned up to watch the first day of filming on location in Hartlepool, Lang said, and kept a low profile in a baseball cap and wearing a Covid mask.
Lang felt the couple’s direct input into the script would not have helped.
He said: ‘How much (do) any of us understand why we behave the way we behave? It’s complicated.’
Monica previously told how she has found other people were more sympathetic towards her charactrer Anne than she is in the new Canoe Man series.
Speaking to Radio Times, Monica said she thinks Anne’s tragedy was that she tried to please everyone and was incapable of making clear decisions.
Candid: Monica Dolan has told how she has found other people were more sympathetic towards her charactrer Anne Darwin than she is in the new Canoe Man series
With much of the show centering around whether or not Anne should be forgiven for her inolvement in her husband’s crime, Monica said: ‘I can’t think of anything that divides people more than forgiveness.
‘I found that other people were more sympathetic to Anne than I was. She was very good at her job and her secretarial work involved people management.’
She added: ‘Her tragedy was that she avoided decisions and tried to please everyone. But you can’t go through life not making a decision. Not making a decision is a decision.’
Monica said she thinks Anne’s defense of ‘martial coercion’ was never going to work but added that she thinks her sentence of six years and six months was a long one.
Role: The actress, 53, stars as Anne in ITV’s The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe while Eddie Marsan stars as her husband John who faked his own death in an insurance scam
Monica, who previously played serial killer Rosemary West, said she looks at her characters in a ‘clincal way’, especially those who are based on real people.
The Darwins’ jaw-dropping deception tricked insurers, police and even their two sons into believing the ex-prison officer had died in a North Sea accident.
The couple started a new life in Panama but the tale unravelled when John came back from the dead in 2007 claiming to have suffered amnesia.
They were jailed for the fraud and the extent of the parents’ deception shocked the world.
Real life: Monica said she thinks Anne’s tragedy was that she tried to please everyone and was incapable of making clear decisions (the real John and Anne Darwin pictured in 2006)
The show explores the extent of Anne’s culpability and how much she was forced to go along with her husband’s plan.
Anne’s inner monologue narrates the story, while Eddie Marsan plays narcissistic John with a glint in his eye.
The script, at times funny, gives Anne a sympathetic hearing without shying away from the incredible hurt she inflicted on her loved ones.
The sons, Anthony and Mark, are shown supporting their supposedly widowed mother for years, throwing wreaths into the North Sea in front of Anne’s home where their father was hiding next door.
Sad: The sons, Anthony and Mark, are shown supporting their supposedly widowed mother for years, throwing wreaths into the North Sea in front of Anne’s home where their father was hiding next door
When the sons visit her in Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, John listens to their conversations through the dividing walls.
Writer Chris Lang wanted the audience to debate among themselves just how much to blame Anne.
The final of four episodes shows her efforts to rebuild her family life in a way John – remarried and living in the Philippines – has not.
Her attempts at reconciliation and her obvious feelings of guilt – in counterpoint to John – give the story a fresh twist.
Lang said: ‘Good people do bad things. Let’s try and understand, let’s try and forgive because if her sons could forgive her, I would hope that we can as well.’
Shocking: The Darwins’ jaw-dropping deception tricked insurers, police and even their two sons into believing the ex-prison officer had died in a North Sea accident
Marsan said even the crew were divided by what they made of Anne.
During her trial at Teesside Crown Court, she used the unusual defence of marital coercion, claiming her domineering husband had forced her to go through with the massive deception.
It failed, but some observers have said that in a post-Me Too world, her explanation would get a more sympathetic hearing.
Marsan said: ‘There’s a generational interpretation of the story. The older female members of the crew felt that she should have taken more responsibility and the younger ones felt that she was a victim.’
Dolan hoped the audience will ‘yo-yo’ in their feelings towards Anne, saying: ‘We can feel guilty but still do things.’
The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe continues on ITV on Monday April 18 at 9pm.
Can’t wait: The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe continues on ITV on Monday April 18 at 9pm
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