The Hunt for Raoul Moat: Release date, cast and latest news for ITV drama

The killer then went on the run, during which time he shot and blinded a police officer.

After evading police for over a week, Moat was eventually tracked down by the authorities and after a stand-off lasting more than six hours, he killed himself.

Produced by the acclaimed World Productions and written by Anne screenwriter Kevin Sampson, the series stars Lee Ingleby (Criminal UK, The A Word) as senior Northumbria Police Officer Neil Adamson and Matt Stokoe (Cursed, Bodyguard) as Moat, among a host of other familiar faces.

Here's everything you need to know about The Hunt for Raoul Moat.

The Hunt for Raoul Moat release date

The Hunt for Raoul Moat began airing on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday 16th April.

The three-part series will air across three consecutive nights on the 16th, 17th and 18th April.

The Hunt for Raoul Moat plot

As per the synopsis, this series will shine a light on the story from those who sought to bring down Moat, as opposed to centring the actions of the killer himself.

The official description reads: "The drama focuses on the innocent victims of Moat’s crimes - Christopher Brown, Samantha Stobbart and PC David Rathband; the police officers who put themselves in the firing line in their quest to apprehend Moat; and the local journalist who sought to tell Moat’s real story in a landscape of sensationalist reporting and social media provocation."

The events that unfolded in July 2010 made headlines across the globe when Moat shot three people in 24 hours before going on the run for more than a week, leading to the biggest manhunt in British history.

Moat had been released from prison in 2010 and went on to shoot ex-partner Samantha Stobbart and her new boyfriend Christopher Brown, who Moat believed was a police officer. Brown died after being shot at close range, but Stobbart survived.

Moat went on to shoot PC Rathband, who survived after being shot twice but took his own life two years later.

Speaking about the drama upon being commissioned by ITV, Head of Drama Polly Hill said: "The Hunt for Raoul Moat shines a light on the human tragedies behind the true story of Britain's biggest ever manhunt to apprehend a violent killer.

"Following on from his success with Anne earlier this year, Kevin Sampson's scripts are once again insightful and compelling."

The Hunt for Raoul Moat cast

Lee Ingleby stars as Neil Adamson, a senior Northumbria Police Officer leading the race against time to apprehend Moat, while his fellow investigating officer Nisha Roberts is played by Vineeta Rishi (Vera, Collateral).

Sonya Cassidy (The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Last Kingdom) stars as local journalist Diane Barnwell, Sally Messham (Artemis Fowl, Doc Martin, Our Ladies) is Samantha Stobbart, Matt Stokoe is Raoul Moat and Josef Davis (Young Wallander, Chernobyl) stars as Christopher Brown.

Speaking about taking on the role of Stobbart, Messham said: “As soon as I read Kevin Sampson’s scripts and spoke to the director Gareth Bryn, the fact this was a story about the victims reassured me. The shifting of the narrative. Really delving into these victims as three dimensional people rather than just faces next to a headline. Their stories needed to be told.

"I knew we would be in safe hands with Kevin Sampson, who wrote the Hillsborough drama Anne, and World Productions. This drama also looks at the public’s fascination with this fugitive. Understanding their relationship to the police and authority. And it takes the power and hysteria away from the murderer."

Similarly, Stokoe has said about portraying Moat: "It's important to say that Raoul Moat is not the lead character in this drama. Nor should he be. One of the purposes of this drama is to bring the victims to the forefront. They were highlighted at the time of these events in 2010 but in a very fleeting way."

Is there a trailer for The Hunt for Raoul Moat?

Yes, watch below:

The Hunt for Raoul Moat began airing on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday 16th April. For more news, interviews and features, visit our Drama hub or find something to watch now with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.