Netflix series will tell the horrific true story of Jill Dando's unsolved murder
On the morning of 26 April 1999, Jill Dando, one of the BBC's most popular stars, was shot and killed on the doorstep of her home in London, with her murder remaining unsolved over two decades later.
Jill was 37 years old at the time of her death and had been dating gynaecologist Alan Farthing, later Queen Elizabeth II's personal physician, after being set up with him on a blind date. The pair announced their engagement in January 1999 and had been due to tie the knot later that year.
BBC star Jill left Alan's home in Chiswick on the morning of her death in April 1999, travelling alone by car back to the house she owned in Fulham. The Crimewatch presenter, who had been in the process of selling the property, reached her front door at about 11:32, where she was fatally shot once in the head.
The late TV star's body was discovered about fourteen minutes later by neighbour Helen Doble, with police called at 11.47. Jill was then rushed to the nearby Charing Cross Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival at 13:03 BST. 24 years on from her murder, it is still unknown who killed Jill Dando.
As Netflix releases the first trailer for its three-part documentary series, we take a look at Jill's early life, her impressive career with the BBC and how despite one man spending eight years in prison for her murder, the police have been unable to catch her killer and bring them to justice.
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Who was Jill Dando?
Jill Dando was one of the nation's favourite newsreaders and broadcast journalists (Netflix)Jill Wendy Dando was born to parents Jack and Winifred Dando in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset on 9 November 1961 and grew up as a devout Baptist, continuing to follow the faith in her adult years. When she was just three years old, it was discovered that Jill had a hole in her heart and a blocked pulmonary artery. She went on to have heart surgery in 1965.
After studying journalism at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Jill embarked upon a career in broadcasting and journalism - starting out as a trainee reporter for the local weekly newspaper, the Weston Mercury, where her father and brother - who was also a journalist -worked.
Jill began her BBC career after five years as a print journalist when she became a newsreader for BBC Radio Devon in 1985. By 1988, the late broadcaster had made the switch from regional to national television and became a regular face on BBC News until the mid-1990s.
Two years before her tragic death, Jill was crowned the public broadcaster's Personality of the Year in 1997. At the time of her death, Jill was one of the country's most recognisable newsreaders and also known for her work away from news bulletins, including co-presenting the BBC One programme Crimewatch with Nick Ross.
Who killed Jill Dando?
The late journalist is likened to a 'TV Diana' in the new Netflix series (Netflix)Jill was killed on the doorstep of her home in Fulham, south-west London, at the age of 37 in April 1999 and, nearly 24 years on, her murder remains unsolved. The late BBC newsreader and Crimewatch co-host was shot once in the head, and her body was discovered soon after by a neighbour.
The star's murder over two decades ago prompted the biggest murder inquiry conducted by the Metropolitan Police at the time and the country's largest criminal investigation since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. A local man, Barry George, was convicted and imprisoned for the murder of Jill, but after serving eight years in prison he was acquitted following an appeal and retrial.
Following Barry's acquittal in 2008, no other suspect has been charged with Jill's murder, and the case remains unsolved to this day. Speaking on Loose Women, journalist Jane Moore - who reported on Jill's murder at the time - revealed Jill's brother Nigel is hopeful the upcoming Netflix series could help catch his sister's killer.
"Here we are 24 years on and still nobody has the answer to the question [of who did this]. I reported on it on the time," Jane recalled on the ITV show. She went on to add: "Her brother Nigel, who is also a journalist, feels that this could help bring somebody forward that might know something. It’s happened with other documentaries where it just triggers a memory, or people’s circumstances change or suddenly decide they will come forward with a piece of information and that is what he is hoping that this documentary will bring."
When was Barry George arrested?
The Netflix series using footage from the aftermath of Jill's murder (Netflix)After speaking to more than 2,500 people and taking more than 1,000 statements, the Metropolitan Police focused their attention on a man called Barry George, who lived close to Jill's Fulham home. Barry, who had a history of stalking women, sexual offences and other antisocial and attention-seeking behaviour, was put under surveillance and arrested and charged with Jill's murder on 28 May 2000 - over a year from her death.
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He was tried at the Old Bailey, convicted, and on 2 July 2001 was sentenced to life imprisonment but many felt the case against him appeared thin. After two unsuccessful appeals, Barry's third appeal succeeded in November 2007 and saw his original conviction quashed with a second trial resulting in a not guilty verdict on 1 August 2008.
In a statement issued through his solicitor Jeremy Moore following his acquittal, Barry said he was "overwhelmed" by the verdict and added: "I want to thank my family, my legal team, my medical team and all the people who have supported me at Belmarsh, Whitemoor and Manchester prisons, and all my supporters."
Barry spent eight years in prison for the crime he did not commit (Netflix)He went on to say: "This is not a time to celebrate. Barry George, an innocent man, has spent eight years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Those eight years could have been better served by the police in searching for the real killer." Barry's sister Michelle Diskin, who led the fight for his release, also issued a statement.
We are really delighted to finally have justice," she said following her sibling's acquittal. "A huge thank you to the jury. They obviously worked very hard to ensure they correctly interpreted the circumstantial evidence in this case. We've been fighting for many years. Now we need time to get back together as a family. We also hope that the police will now look again into the murder of Jill Dando."
All about Netflix's new crime documentary Who Killed Jill Dando?
Jill was 'at the top of her game' at the time of her death (Netflix)"Revisit the shocking 1999 murder of beloved TV presenter Jill Dando, which continues to mystify experts and the public, in this in-depth documentary," Netflix writes in the synopsis for the upcoming three-part series on the streaming platform about the death of the BBC star.
The streaming giant adds: "On the morning of 26th April 1999, Jill Dando was killed outside her home in West London. Her murder became one of the most high-profile and complex investigations in British history. The multi-part series will blend archive, new research and revelatory interviews, to revisit Dando’s life, career, legacy and what would become one of the most notorious unsolved murders of the 20th century.
Who Killed Jill Dando? is directed by Marcus Plowright, known for his work on Fred and Rose West: Reopened series, and see Emma Cooper, the woman behind The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes, take on the role of executive producer. The three-part series arrives on Netflix UK on September 26.
A teaser trailer for the series, released today, introduces viewers to Jill, who is likened to a "TV Diana", with several archive clips showing the late BBC star at the height of her career. "She was the nation's sweethearts," one commentator declares during the brief teaser, with another adding: "Jill was at the top of her game."
Following Jill's introduction, the trailer moves on to her untimely death, with a voiceover telling viewers: "The golden girl of British television murdered on her doorstep in broad daylight." Netflix fans then see archive footage from the aftermath of Jill's murder and family, friends, journalists, investigators and lawyers interviewed in the trailer.
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