Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story is a six-part British television series, based on the true-life kidnapping of British model Chloe Ayling. It premiered on 14 August 2024 on BBC Three with Nadia Parkes in the lead role. BBC Studios produced the series, which was written by Georgia Lester, directed by Al Mackay, and produced by Clare Shepherd.
Contents
Premise
Model Chloe Ayling arrived in Milan, Italy for a modelling job in 2017 only to be abducted by brothers Łukasz and Michał Herba. She was held for six days for a ransom of £265,000. The brothers were sentenced to jail in 2018.
Cast and characters
Nadia Parkes as Chloe Ayling
Adrian Edmondson as Phil Green
Nigel Lindsay as Adrian Sington
Emmanuele Aita as Gianluca
Olive Gray as Amber
Eleonora Romandini as Nicoletta
Julian Świeżewski as MD/Łukasz Herba
Jaroslaw Ciepichal as Michał Herba
Christine Tremarco as Bea
Lorenzo Richelmy as Francesco
Robert Glenister as Piers Morgan
Louise Delamere as Susanna Reid
Production
The project was announced in April 2023 and is made with the full agreement of Chloe Ayling. The series is being written by Georgia Lester and Chloe Ayling was quoted as saying that Lester and the production team had been “incredibly supportive” and that she “couldn't be happier that they are making this series." The project is directed by Al Mackay and Clare Shepherd produces. The executive producers are Priscilla Parish, Michael Parke, and Andrew Morrissey for BBC Studios with Lucy Richer for the BBC, and Georgia Lester.
In July 2023, Nadia Parkes, Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Lindsay were announced to be in the cast, with Parkes playing Chloe Ayling.
Filming began in June 2023. Filming locations include the UK and Italy.
Broadcast
The series was broadcast in the UK on BBC Three on 14 August 2024.
Reception
The series received mixed reviews from critics. Writing in the i, Emily Baker called it a "gripping, propellant drama", awarding it four stars out of five. Vicky Jessop of the Evening Standard gave it the same rating, describing it as "a depressing indictment of how the tabloid press demonise young women" but one that "expertly toes the line between fascinating and depressing."
Hayley Campbell of BBC Radio 5 Live, however, acknowledged it was "fascinating" but "a little slow", while her colleague Scott Bryan said it was "a bit uneven" and "not a Must-Watch". In The Guardian, Jack Seale highlighted what he perceived as the lack of a "compelling narrative", observing that "there’s a lot of inert drama to plough through before later episodes focus more rewardingly on Ayling’s time in the public eye."