DAVID TENNANT will play one of Britain’s most infamous serial killers in new ITV drama Des.

The former Doctor Who and Broadchurch actor leads a strong cast in the three-part thriller, which revisits Dennis Nilsen’s horrific five-year killing spree.

7 David Tennant will play warped serial killer Dennis Nilsen in new ITV drama Des Credit: BBC

David’s co-stars include Line Of Duty actor Daniel Mays as Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay, and Jason Watkins as Brian ­Masters, who wrote a biography on Nilsen.

ITV’s head of drama, Polly Hill, said: “This starts with ­Nilsen’s arrest and is looking at him through the eyes of the police officer trying to identify those he killed and deliver ­justice. David Tennant is going to be brilliant as Nilsen and, with Daniel and Jason, this has an incredible cast.”

Written by Luke Neal, the drama is based on material from Brian’s book Killing For Company, which features conversations with the twisted loner, known as “Des”.

Nilsen, a former soldier and policeman, murdered at least a dozen boys and young men in his North ­London homes between 1978 and 1983.

7 Former cop and soldier Nilsen, murdered at least 12 men in North ­London between 1978 and 1983 Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

He was only caught when DCI Peter Jay was called to his home in Muswell Hill to investigate human remains clogging the drains. The killer had strangled his victims before chopping them up and flushing their body parts down the toilet.

The drama also looks at why his killing spree went uncovered for so long, in part because his victims were homeless or prostitutes.

Nilsen was convicted of six counts of murder and two of attempted murder in 1983 and given a life sentence. He died last year, aged 72.

Des is about to start filming and it is likely to air next year, which is an agonisingly long wait for such a promising drama.

7 Line Of Duty actor Daniel Mays joins the cast of Des and as Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay Credit: Rex Features

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Serial killer Dennis Nilsen who murdered at least 12 young men dies in prison aged 72