Series synopsis
Black Widow is a British documentary crime television series that premiered on Sky Documentaries on September 15, 2024. It ended on September 15, 2024. It stars Dena Thompson.
Follows the decade-long police investigation into one of Britain’s most dangerous female murderers. Over 20 years, Dena Thompson who was known as ‘The Black Widow’, carried out a sustained campaign of fraud, deception, bigamy and murder. Using Lonely Hearts columns to lure a succession of husbands and dozens of lovers into her life, she was able to coerce them into giving up their life’s savings, their homes, their families and their freedom based on her bizarre but convincing stories.
Premise
Follows the decade-long police investigation into one of Britain’s most dangerous female murderers. Over 20 years, Dena Thompson who was known as ‘The Black Widow’, carried out a sustained campaign of fraud, deception, bigamy and murder. Using Lonely Hearts columns to lure a succession of husbands and dozens of lovers into her life, she was able to coerce them into giving up their life’s savings, their homes, their families and their freedom based on her bizarre but convincing stories.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Dena Thompson as Self (archive footage)
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 3 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 3 | September 15, 2024 | September 15, 2024 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1: The Deception Begins This episode introduces Dena Thompson and her early tactics of fraud. It covers how she manipulated the men in her life, luring them into her web of lies. |
September 15, 2024 |
| 2 |
Episode 2: The Consequences of Bigamy The second episode delves into Thompson’s bigamous marriages, exploring how she used these relationships to defraud her victims and build her criminal empire. |
September 15, 2024 |
| 3 |
Episode 3: Unraveling the Web The final episode chronicles the decade-long police investigation that ultimately led to Dena Thompson’s arrest and conviction. It reveals the challenges faced by law enforcement in catching such a skilled manipulator. |
September 15, 2024 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Sky Documentaries |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 15, 2024 |
| Last aired | September 15, 2024 |
| Runtime | 46 minutes |
| Status | ended |