Ever since Martin Freeman popped up on our screens in the early 2000s in the original The Office, he’s held a special place in the hearts of the British public. From playing the awkward John in Love Actually, to trusted side-kick Dr Watson in BBC’s Sherlock to the Hobbit of all Hobbits Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy, he’s got an impressive range of roles.
And one his under-rated but must-see roles is in the 2019 true crime drama series A Confession. It’s a harrowing and emotional watch, inspired by a devastating true story, and this is everything you need to know about it.
What is A Confession about?
A Confession is a six-part drama that was released in 2019 and is based on the true story of the death of Sian O’Callaghan. Sian was a 22-year-old woman who went missing in 2011 after a night out and was killed by Christopher Halliwell after getting into his taxi. He was later arrested and given a life sentence for her death.
In the ITV drama Freeman takes on the role of the real life detective, Det Supt Steve Fulcher, involved in the case who broke police protocol in order to solve Sian’s murder and in doing so risked his own job.
When the show was first released it was highly praised by reviewers and viewers alike. The Guardian gave it four out of five stars, and comended Freeman and his co-star Siobhan Finneran’s acting in the series saying: “Martin Freeman plays Fulcher with quiet authority, digging deeper into himself with every twist of the case. Siobhan Finneran as Sian’s mother, Elaine, shows us the uncommon courage of people in uncommon circumstances, as a woman who deals solely in reality without ever flinching from it.”
And over on IMDb viewers have given it high ratings, with one person saying, “Brilliant acting, well written storyline. I was hooked straight away and binged watched it in a day. Martin Freeman’s performance was fantastic.” While another said: “Good story, great acting and well paced. At no point did I feel like it was dragging.”
Who is in the cast of A Confession?
Leading the cast of A Confession is Martin Freeman as Det Supt Steve Fulcher. You’ll most likely know Freeman from series such as The Responder, Sherlock, The Office and Fargo. He’s also led movies including The Hobbit trilogy, and Miller’s Girl.
Starring alongside him as the mother of Sian O’Callaghan, Elaine Pickford, is Siobhan Finneran, who is best known for her roles in Downton Abbey, Happy Valley, The Stranger and Cold Feet.
Also starring in the series is:
- Imelda Staunton as Karen Edwards, the mother of Becky Godden, a woman who has been missing for eight years in the series, based on the real life case of Becky Godden.
- Joe Absolom as Christopher Halliwell, the man who killed Sian.
- Charlie Cooper as Kevin Reape, Sian’s boyfriend.
- Peter Wright as Charlie, Karen’s husband.
- Faye McKeever as Deborah Peach, one of Fulcher’s colleagues.
- Ian Puleston-Davies as Mick O’Callaghan, Sian’s father.
- Christopher Fulford as John Godden, Becky’s father.
Where can I watch A Confession?
All six episodes of A Confession are available to stream for free on ITVX now.