Amazon is pushing deeper into the UK true crime space, locking in a six-part doc slate with Scottish indie Firecrest Films, kicking off next month with The Orkney Assassin: Murder in the Isles.
Dropping April 20 on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland, the first film centers on a chilling 1994 murder case from the Orkney Islands that went cold—until a break in the case decades later turned local history on its head. The title leads a package that includes The Hunt for Shannon Matthews and Hunting the Tinder Predator, both slated to roll out later in 2025.
The play marks a significant expansion of Amazon’s UK unscripted strategy. Partnering with Firecrest gives the streamer access to a Glasgow-based team that’s carved out a reputation for punchy, journalistic storytelling. The production company previously teamed with Prime Video on Three Mothers, Two Babies & a Scandal in 2022.
The new films tap into high-profile, media-saturated cases—most notably the 2008 disappearance of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews, later discovered in a staged abduction plotted by her mother. The Hunt for Shannon Matthews aims to reframe the case with new interviews and previously unreleased material.
Meanwhile, Hunting the Tinder Predator investigates Christopher Harkins, a convicted sex offender who exploited dating apps to target victims, resulting in a 12-year sentence.
Executive producers on the slate are Iain Scollay, Nicole Kleeman, and Vari Innes, with Rachel Heywood on board as series producer.
