James Bolam portrays serial killer Dr. Harold Shipman in this made-for-TV drama. The film follows the story of Shipman, a general practitioner who throughout his career is believed to have killed as many as 250 of his patients. When the high death rate of his practice was investigated, it was discovered that he had given lethal doses of diamorphine to a vast number of his patients. He was put on trial where he was convicted of 15 murders and sentenced to life imprisonment.

James Bolam
as Harold Shipman

James Hazeldine
as DI Stan Egerton

Olive Pendleton
as Kathleen Grundy

Veda Warwick
as May Clarke

Jacqueline Pilton
as Primrose Shipman

Peter Gunn
as DS John Ashley

Clare Kerrigan
as Julie

Mary MacLeod
as Ivy Lomas

Siobhan Finneran
as Kathleen Adanski

Alan Rothwell
as Alan Massey