On whether he had any conversations with Delia before filming, Martin told ITV in a press pack for the series: “No, I’ve played quite a few real people and I haven’t met them before. I don’t choose to do that. , that’s how I work.

“Our writer, Nick (Stevens), shot a lot of footage of his meetings with Delia, which we had access to. I met her very briefly during filming, but only because she wanted to visit the set, and of course I was respectful of that.”

Martin continued: “I didn’t do a lot of research into abusive relationships either, I just focused on the character, who she was, how she responded to things and what I could gauge about how she interacted with people .

“Then you go from there and try to be as specific as you can about how that person would behave and respond.”

The four parts series is based on Balmer’s book Live with a serial killerand follows Delia on an emotional journey through the police and criminal justice system as she tries to bring Sweeney (Shaun Evans) to justice for his crimes.

Evans, who is of course known for his starring role in Endeavour, takes on the role of the killer and also revealed that he didn’t research the role in the way some might expect.

When asked about what research material he had in preparation for the role, Evans said: “I don’t really work that way, to be honest with you. That’s not to dismiss it, but it just doesn’t work for me. personal.

“I think the imagination is limitless and I’m a little more concerned with making the story we’re telling as believable as possible than the impression of someone who might have existed.

“I think you have to invest in what we do day-to-day, so a lot of it was just imagination, to be honest.”

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The official synopsis for the four-parter reads: “In 1991, Delia leads an itinerant and solitary life in London, working as a nurse. When she meets fellow free spirit John Sweeney in a local pub, it seems to be the connection she’s had. looking for

“As the relationship develops, Sweeney’s artsy, anti-establishment persona gives way to a darker side, culminating in a series of violent attacks on Delia, during which he tells her he killed his ex-girlfriend and threw her body in a canal in Amsterdam.

“Sweeney is arrested, but due to a catastrophic failure of the court to realize how dangerous he is, he is granted bail. He immediately pursues Delia and subjects her to a horrific, near-fatal attack. She survives, but Sweeney evades capture and disappears. “

It continues: “Torn apart by the trauma and injuries inflicted by Sweeney, Delia bravely tries to rebuild her life. But Sweeney returns seven years later and is arrested for murdering another girlfriend in north London.

“Delia’s fragile recovery is shattered again as she must face Sweeney in court, her vital testimony for the prosecution case against him.

“This is the story of one woman’s amazing will to survive through physical and emotional torment, despite the failures of the institutions that were meant to protect her.”

Until I Kill You will air on ITV1 and ITVX from Sunday 3 November to Wednesday 6 November at 9pm on ITV1.

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