The Witness

● The Witness is based on the true story of the murder of Rachel Nickell – who was stabbed to death on Wimbledon Common in 1992.

● The only person to witness the murder was her two-year-old son, Alex, who was found wandering the park by himself in the aftermath.

● As the case draws massive media attention, grieving widow André fights to protect his son from the spotlight while trying to get him to talk.

● In the 20 years that followed, the father and son’s relationship falls under strain as André continues to demand answers from the police’s fumbled investigation while Alex begins to rebel.

● The Witness was released at the same time on Netflix as a documentary, The Murder of Rachel Nickell, which featured the real André and Alex.

● The limited series dropped on Netflix on June 2026.

The Witness is a dramatic retelling of the true crime story of Rachel Nickell, who was senselessly attacked and murdered on Wimbledon Common in 1992.

Despite the public assault, the only person to witness the attack was her two-year-old son, Alex, who was later found wandering the common by passers-by.

As the police attempted find answers over who was responsible, Alex’s dad André is left juggling the grief of losing his wife, the immense pressure when the story becomes tabloid news, and the desire to protect Alex from public attention at all costs.

Following father and son in the years following the murder, André and Alex’s relationship becomes strained as André becomes obsessed with getting justice for Rachel and keeping Alex hidden, while Alex grows up traumatised and unable to talk about what he saw.

When the police investigation results in false arrests, more innocent parties are brought into the story as the murderer remains undetected for years.

The three-episode limited series follows the near 20-year fight for justice for Rachel, including the fractured relationship between Alex and André as they both navigate their grief, and the final breakthrough in the case that finally got the right person behind bars.

It was released on Netflix in June 2026, on the same day as the documentary The Murder of Rachel Nickell, which features the real André and Alex Hanscombe as well as those related to the case.

The main cast of The Witness consists of:

● Jordan Bolger (Peaky Blinders, Believe Me) as André Hanscombe

● Max Fincham (The Tower, Invasion) as Alex Hanscombe

● Jahsaiah Williams (EastEnders) as Toddler Alex

● Kerry Godliman (Whitstable Pearl, Derek) as Grandma June

● Eleanor Williams (Halo: Nightfall, Endeavour) as Rachel Nickell

● Neil Maskell (Hijack, Utopia) as DI Keith Pedder

● Mark Stanley (Under Salt Marsh, Trigger Point) as DS Ivan Agnew

● Sean Gilder (Possession, Slow Horses) as DCS Nicholas Campbell

● Jamie Bisping (Rivals, Piglets) as Colin Stagg

● Steve Stamp (People Just Do Nothing, The Curse) as Robert Napper

● Kevin Eldon (Hot Fuzz, Nighty Night) as DCI Mick Wickerson

● Jon Pointing (Big Boys, Sweetpea) as DC Nick Sparshatt

● James Dryden (Bait, Goodbye June) as DC Paul Miller

The official rating of The Witness in the UK, as noted by Netflix, is 15 for the overall series.

This means the show has been considered unsuitable for children and younger audiences.

Reasons for this rating include:

● Emotionally intense scenes some may find upsetting

● Prominent themes of grief and trauma some may find upsetting

● Discussions of a violent nature – including sexual violence

● Prominent murder theme and discussions throughout

● Use of profane language including racially charged insults and swearing

● Mild blood and gore

The Witness is a Netflix series available via Sky.

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