ITV's latest true-crime drama, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, came to an end on Wednesday night, drawing the unbelievable story of convicted fraudsters John and Anne Darwin to a conclusion.
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Starring Eddie Marsan and Monica Dolan as the former couple, the four-parter tells the story of former prison officer John, who faked his own death in order to claim life insurance money, with the help of his wife, Anne. But what happened to the pair? Read on to find out where they are now.
WATCH: Did you enjoy the ITV drama?
What happened to Anne Darwin?
After being convicted of fraud, Anne spent six and a half years in prison. Just before her release, she separated from John.
She told The Guardian in 2016: "I hadn't realised how much John manipulated me until I was in prison. I had to see a psychologist to finally help me see things in a different light.
"Until then I'd always had his voice in my head. Finally, when it faded away, I could then make decisions for myself and I realised that I didn't have to depend on him. I could cope on my own."
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Upon her release in 2011, John reportedly sent Anne a photograph of herself with a copyright symbol on it. The pair eventually divorced.
© Photo: ITVThe infamous photo that was taken in Panama and used to expose the couple
Anne went on to work for the RSPCA using qualifications she gained in prison.
Five years later, in 2016, Anne told her side of the story in her memoir, Out of My Depth, which she co-wrote with David Leigh, the journalist who first interviewed her upon John's reappearance in the UK. The proceeds from the book were donated to the RNLI and the RSPCA.
Anne is now retired and lives alone in the north of England. She has rebuilt her relationships with her two sons, Mark and Anthony, and is part of her grandchildren's lives.
David Leigh appeared on ITV's This Morning on Tuesday and gave an update on Anne's current situation.
"Anne now has both boys back in her life, she has her four grandchildren and she lives a very quiet and anonymous existence. She's obviously not enjoying this very much," he said, referring to the ITV drama.
© Photo: ITVEddie Marsan and Monica Dolan played John and Anne in the ITV drama
The journalist, who has remained friends with Anne since their first meeting, went on to say: "She often says to me, 'I really can't understand what all the fuss is about, why there is still this interest after all this time.'
"She lives a very quiet, anonymous existence. She obviously wishes this wasn't happening, but she accepts she played a role in it and she understands to a degree the fascination from the British public.
"I think she'll be happy when it's over and she can just get on with her life and spend time with the boys," he added.
What happened to John Darwin?
John was released from prison in January 2011, just two months before Anne in March. In 2015, John remarried, by which time he and Anne had repaid a total of £541,762 and no longer had any assets.
John moved to Manila in the Philippines with his wife, Mercy, who is 23 years younger than him. The pair run a market stall together.
© Photo: RexJohn Darwin appeared on ITV breakfast show, Daybreak, in 2011
Unlike Anne, John has not managed to reconcile with his sons, according to David Leigh. While on This Morning, he said: "He has no contact with them at all. He's in Manila and he keeps in touch with one of them and the other has completely disowned him. He doesn't seem to care."
According to The Mirror, the 71-year-old has committed to fighting in Ukraine and was reportedly "on his way" to the Eastern European country at the end of March. His wife Mercy told the publication: "He will have a bulletproof vest and good life insurance, good for me."
The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe concludes on Wednesday 20 April at 9pm on ITV, with the whole boxset available to stream on ITV Hub and BritBox.
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