Louis Theroux has urged his fans and viewers to watch his brother Marcel’s new documentary, despite it playing on rival channel ITV. ‘The Playboy Bunny Murder’ is a two-part series delving into the unsolved mystery and murder of 22-year-old Eve Stratford, a Playboy Cocktail Bunny at the Playboy Club in London's Mayfair in 1975.
The documentary explores the model's cold case alongside two other victims, who are believed to have been murdered by the same killer. While working as a waitress at the London club, Eve was found dead in her home by her boyfriend, Tony Priest, and his bandmate. Eve’s throat had been cut eight to twelve times.
Now Marcel is diving into Eve’s life, who was also known as Eve Van Bock and Bunny Ava. Filmmaker Marcel interviews Eve’s friend Barbara Haigh and Tony for the documentary.
Louis took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to support his brother’s ITV documentary, writing: “I wouldn’t normally promote a film that’s on at exactly the same time as mine on a rival channel but it’s different when it’s been made by my brother @therouvian I haven’t seen it yet and look forward to watching AFTER I rewatch mine at 9pm tomorrow.”
Marcel replied in the comments: “Thanks Louis! I’m stoked to see your Pete Doherty film tomorrow.” The first episode of The Playboy Bunny Murder is available to watch on ITVX now.
While investigating Eve’s death, Marcel would find out there were other victims around the same time. In the trailer, Marcel can be heard saying: “But digging deeper, I would unearth other tragedies. Was there a serial killer on the streets of London who’d never been caught?”
Six months after Eve’s death, 16-year-old schoolgirl Lynne Weedon, was attacked and raped in an alleyway near her home. Sadly, Lynne died after being found close to death the next day.
According to The Mirror, nearly thirty years later, DNA found at both crime scenes linked the murders. In 2015, Lynne's mother Margaret Weedon made an impassioned plea for information.
She said: "It has been 40 years since our beautiful young daughter Lynne was violently taken from us. We are well aware that whoever murdered Lynne also murdered Eve Stratford. That young lady also had her life snubbed out. Her family has died now. Another true life sentence."
Lynda Farrow, 29, a croupier, was considered to be the third victim and believed to be killed by the unknown murderer. The documentary also looked into her death, being stabbed near her home in Hounslow, West London, in 1979.
The ITV series overview reads: “This brand new ITV true crime series sees Marcel Theroux investigate a set of disturbing murders of young women that have remained unsolved since the 1970s, revealing a dark and violent side hidden beneath the wealth and glamour of London’s nightlife.
“The journalist and filmmaker’s long-standing interest in the brutal murders, which shocked the London he grew up in, led him to return to the killings of Eve Stratford, a Playboy Bunny who aspired to be a famous model, Lynda Farrow, a croupier with years of experience working in night time London, and Lynne Weedon, a schoolgirl whose whole life lay ahead of her.
“This two-part series aims to unravel the mystery through unrivalled and exclusive access to friends, colleagues and relatives of the victims who provide an intimate insight into their lives and personalities as well as archive material from the time.
“Marcel’s four-year hunt to shed light on who was responsible takes him back to that time, sees him try to track down police files, examine new breakthroughs and travel in search of key figures who have been linked to the case as he pursues the truth that has remained hidden for decades.”