THE CATFISH NEXT DOOR: BBC ANNOUNCES NEW FACTUAL SERIES ON CYBERSTALKERS

BBC Three and BBC Scotland have commissioned a major three-part true crime series that will explore the shocking case of a British “catfish” whose serial cyberstalking saw her sentenced to a third jail term last year.

Produced by STV Studios Factual, The Catfish Next Door (w/t) will tell the stranger-than-fiction story of Adele Rennie, a former NHS nurse from Kilmarnock, who was revealed to be behind a string of meticulously crafted aliases.

Over a ten-year period, Rennie targeted a number of local women with sophisticated stalking campaigns, which all began online but had far-reaching consequences for her victims.

At Rennie’s first court trial in 2017, Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane described the case as “the most astounding narrative of facts I think I’ve heard in my entire career”. But that was just the start of the story, which saw multiple aliases, hundreds of alleged victims, and the most unlikely of perpetrators.

The series will include testimony from many of Rennie’s victims, who will share their experiences as they piece together the truth of this twisting story for the first time. And as they grapple with the lasting personal impact, this series will seek to understand what motivates a cyberstalker to offend, the drive behind escalating crimes, and why there’s been such a stark increase in “catfishing” – a practice that is still not considered a crime under UK law.

Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, says: “This series will take us into the modern phenomenon of catfishing and internet crime in a fresh and creatively distinctive way and through the prism of the Scottish community in which it takes place.”

Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning, BBC Scotland says: “This is a remarkable story which will intrigue and fascinate audiences. The scale and impact of this crime and its twists and turns will make compelling viewing.”

Craig Hunter, Executive Producer and Creative Director of STV Studios Factual, says: “The case of Adele Rennie is truly astonishing, but behind the headlines lies a complex and thought-provoking story that speaks volumes about the nature of cybercrime – how quickly it has evolved; the profound impact it can have on victims; and what it tells us about modern society.”

On 13 September 2024, Adele Rennie was sentenced to 28 months' imprisonment and made subject to a 12-month Supervised Release Order. She was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a period of 10 years.