ITV is currently airing The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe which has led to a renewed interest in its subject John Darwin and his then wife Anne.
The four-part TV drama tells the true story of the couple, portrayed by actors Eddie Marsan and Monica Dolan. John faked his own death after going out to sea in his red canoe to claim life insurance and avoid bankruptcy, the drama focuses on how Anne became complicit in her husband’s deception.
Anne received £250,000 life insurance while keeping the truth from John's friends and family, including their two sons. Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter But twenty years later after faking his own death, John's colleagues shared how he was almost caught while gardening outside his home.
He was jailed in 2007 for six years for the fraud, but how was he found? How was 'Canoe Man' exposed? In 2002, a large search took place covering 62 miles to try and find him, after use a paddle and kayak was discovered.
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