He was a doctor. A healer. A trusted friend.
But Harold Shipman killed more than 250 people.

🩺💀Discover how Britain’s most prolific serial killer evaded justice for decades.

Harold Shipman was the epitome of trust—a quiet, well-respected doctor in Hyde, Greater Manchester. But behind the calm demeanor was a calculated murderer. With at least 215 confirmed deaths, and suspicions of over 300, Shipman became Britain’s most prolific serial killer. How did no one notice?

The answer lies not only in Shipman's cunning but in the systemic blind spots of the British healthcare system. For years, he forged death certificates, falsified medical records, and used his authority to silence doubt. Even after early warnings, including a drug conviction in the 1970s, Shipman returned to practice—unmonitored, unchecked, and lethal.

The public inquiry into his crimes triggered sweeping reforms: tighter control over prescriptions, the introduction of independent Medical Examiners, and a complete overhaul of how doctors are monitored. But the question still lingers: could it happen again?

This episode of Peculiar Britain dives into the chilling timeline of Shipman's crimes, the failures that allowed them, and the lessons still being learned today.

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