COLD Feet actor James Nesbitt has said there are "obvious sensitivities" to his taking on the role of killer dentist and fellow Northern Ireland man Colin Howell.
The Co Antrim-born actor has been revealed as the star of a new ITV drama `The Secret' about the real-life double murders Howell and his lover Hazel Stewart.
He told the Mirror: "I think it’s going to be a huge challenge."
The pair murdered their respective spouses in 1991 in Coleraine, Co Derry, so they could be together - framing the scene to make it look as if their victims had killed themselves following an affair.
In fact, nurse and mother-of two Lesley Howell had never met police officer Trevor Buchanan.
Howell and Stewart's own love affair began at their local Baptist Church and the gruesome murders were carried out on his son's second birthday.
Hazel Stewart will be played by Genevieve O’Reilly (38) who is known for roles in Episodes, Banished and The Honourable Woman.
Howell finally confessed to the murders in 2009 following the death of his eldest son, Matthew, whose name his wife Lesley had called out as he gassed her.
The drama is based on the book, `Let This Be Our Secret', by the former reporter Deric Henderson.
Nesbitt, who won acclaim for his role as a grieving father in BBC One's `The Missing', is said to be concerned about the fact that he is playing a man whose children and family are still coming to terms with the murders which only emerged in 2009.
But it took 19 years for the truth to be discovered after Howell confessed to the murders to a pastor at his church, and named his one-time love Hazel Buchanan as his accomplice.
Nesbitt’s agent Ian Johnston, said: “ITV have a track record of taking difficult subjects and complicated and sensitivities situations and making them into excellent dramas. This will be no exception and Jimmy is very aware of the pressures to do it right.”
The Secret is written by Bafta-winning writer Stuart Urban.
