David Tennant’s performance in Des has led a friend of the real-life serial killer to eerily compared watching the show to “seeing a ghost”.
Andrea Kubinova also described Tennant’s portrayal in the disturbing drama as “stunning”.
She appeared on Good Morning Britain to reflect on the three-part series.
And Andrea also revealed how she came to strike up a relationship with the man who murdered at least 12 young men and boys.
He was convicted in 1983 and died in prison in 2018.
What did the friend saying about David Tennant in Des
She told GMB hosts Kate Garraway and Alex Beresford that she first contacted Dennis Nilsen to get his autograph.
Following that, the pair exchanged letters – with Andrea even visiting Nilsen in prison.
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She explained her attention had been initially caught by the details of Nilsen’s crimes.
“I found [the case] very intriguing,” she said. “The motivation, the loneliness, it felt intriguing.”
Andrea continued: “His love of animals was something that stood out compared to all the other killers.”
How Dennis Nilsen and friend came into contact
Andrea – who owns a pair of Nilsen’s glasses – also noted how she had posted a sketch of Nilsen’s dog to him to catch his eye.
It was like seeing a ghost, it was brilliant. Absolutely stunning.
And when he replied, Andrea reckoned it would be “impolite” not to return the correspondence, sparking their pen pal association.
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Reflecting on Doctor Who star David’s chilling depiction, Andrea was clearly impressed.
And even more unsettling was the confirmation that Tennant had got Nilsen spot on.
“It was like seeing a ghost, it was brilliant,” she said.
“[The performance] was absolutely stunning.”
Friend ‘forgot about killings’
Following Kate’s suggestion that some viewers would find the link “creepy”, Andrea suggested she separated the man from his vile actions.
“You have to think about it as a normal friendship,” Andrea insisted.
“Forget about all those killings, forget about the profanity of his crimes.”
However, Andrea did admit she does think about the late murderer’s victims.
She replied: “Of course I do, I did watch the documentary yesterday.
“It was heartbreaking seeing their families talking about their loved ones, it was difficult.”
Despite being a critical hit, Des has sparked complaints from some viewers who thought the plot was too grisly and also for showing characters smoking.
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