‘Ghosts’ firm Monumental to adapt ‘Filthy Ritual’ true crime podcast

Ghosts (Source: BBC)

ITV Studios-owned Monumental Television, the firm behind BBC comedy Ghosts, has secured the rights to adapt true crime podcast Filthy Ritual as a scripted drama for the screen.

Produced by Global and Novel, the podcast launched in April 2023 and explores the story of Juliette D’Souza, one of the most prolific fraudsters in British history.

Hosted by Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala, the six-part podcast reveals how D’Souza claimed to have a special connection to an ancient source of power and wisdom deep in the Amazonian jungle, despite having grown up in the London suburb of Notting Hill.

She made at least £1m ($1.27m), possibly much more, through extortion and manipulation, before a rag-tag team of her victims in the Hampstead area of London came together to fight for justice.

Founded by film producers Alison Owen and Debra Hayward, Monumental Television is also behind Maryland for ITV and the upcoming The Marlow Murder Club for UKTV’s Drama channel and PBS Masterpiece in the US.

“We were absolutely gripped by the stranger than fiction true crime story of Filthy Ritual and fell in love with the quirky Hampstead community who came together to get justice,” said Owen.