55-year-old mother of two Sue Neill-Fraser is woken by a call from the police – her yacht is sinking out in the bay. Sue’s partner Bob Chappell who was sleeping on board has disappeared. The boat has been sabotaged, blood spatters the cabin stairs, a knife lies on the floor… Bob is never seen again - alive or dead. Sue soon becomes a suspect in Bob’s murder investigation. During interviews with detectives she is caught in a string of lies. Seven months later, Detectives arrest Sue charging her with murder. Sue strongly maintains her innocence. While evidence is circumstantial and there is no body, the case against her is strong enough to go to court. After a high-profile murder trial that splits the tight Hobart community, Sue is found guilty. In October 2010 she is sentenced to 26 years in prison. But this case is far from closed… a band of supporters refuse to accept that Sue Neill-Fraser is a killer and they begin their own investigation, much of it filmed as it happens.
In the tradition of The Jinx and Making a Murderer comes UNDERCURRENT – a gripping Australian true crime series; an active unfolding investigation involving underworld sources and the chase for a key piece of physical evidence that could free Sue from prison, and finally unlock the shocking true story of what happened to Bob Chappell that night.
UNDERCURRENT is produced by CJZ for Channel Seven.
The Australian reports today that NSW Police, acting on behalf of Tasmania Police, last week raided the Sydney offices of production company CJZ. The report said NSW Police seized footage of interactions between people potentially caught up in the investigation, which police allege involves a plot to present false evidence to Sue Neill-Fraser’s current appeal application.
Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania. January 27, 2009. Mother of two, SueNeill-Fraser , 55, is woken by a call from the police – her yacht is sinking out in the bay. Sue’s partner, BobChappell , who was sleeping on board, has disappeared. The boat has been sabotaged, blood spatters the cabin stairs, a knife lies on the floor. Bob is never seen again, dead or alive. Sue soon becomes a suspect in Bob’s murder investigation. During interviews with detectives, she is caught in a string of lies. Seven months later, detectives arrest Sue, charging her with murder. Sue strongly maintains her innocence. While evidence is circumstantial and there is no body, the case is strong enough to go to court. After a high-profile murder trial that splits the tight Hobart community, Sue is found guilty. In October 2010, she is sentenced to 26-years in prison. But this case is far from closed… a band of supporters refuse to accept that Sue Neill-Fraser is a killer and they begin their own investigation, much of it filmed as it happens.
This is the story of UNDERCURRENT, a true-crime series in the tradition of TheJinx and Makinga Murderer . An active, unfolding investigation with twists, revelations and cliff-hangers. A series with the potential to divide opinion and spark debate across the country, right up to the dramatic final episode when the threads come together and the truth is revealed. UNDERCURRENT is a CJZ production for Channel Seven.
Premieres Wednesday January 30 at 9pm, according to an updated promo aired this evening during Seven News Melbourne.
(this also suggests the night’s episode of My Kitchen Rules will be two hours long?!)
Does it mean the program will not be shown on 7 Tasmania, and won’t be available for catch-up on 7plus because it is accessible from Tasmania?
Unlike the non-broadcast of Underbelly into Victoria in 2008, Tasmanians will be able to watch Undercurrent through live streaming on 7plus or VAST. They can read previews about the show on gossip magazines and newspapers in (or delivered from) Melbourne. They can discuss the show’s content on social media during the night.
Not on in Tasmania, instead we appear to have double Criminal Minds. We don’t get the doco on the underarm controversy from 1981 either, which is a shame as I actually wanted to watch that.
Do you still want to watch Undercurrent if opportunity comes?
The underarm documentary should be available on 7plus, if Seven has the replay rights.
The Mercury reports supporters of Sue Neill-Fraser will host a gathering on Hobart’s parliament lawns from 10am tomorrow (Australia Day) to promote her latest appeal and to remember Bob Chappell, who disappeared on January 26, 2009. The appeal case resumes in the Supreme Court of Tasmania in Hobart next month.
Can’t say I do. It’s a 10 year old case that didn’t interest me to begin with.
Do think it is odd that it can’t air here though despite social media being so prevalent here. At least programming has moved on from the relentless Jasper Carrott (I can’t even remember the show, unjust him cos he has an odd name) that we got down here as a Nightline (I think) replacement after the Port Arthur massacre.
Footage from the raids will be shown during the final episode tomorrow night (March 6).
Also, when I was at Kmart today I saw the book Southern Justice, written by former Victorian detective Colin McLaren on the Sue Neill-Fraser case. He was also involved in this documentary.
This week’s 60 Minutes will have a story on the possible breakthrough in the Bob Chappell murder case.
Wasn’t sure where to post this but today at the Supreme Court in Hobart (where extra seating and extra security were required due to the publicity of the case) Susan Neill-Fraser won the right for a final appeal due to new and compelling evidence.
The show finally debuted on Seven Tasmania last night, more than two years after it first aired in the rest of Australia. It is currently shown at around 10.30pm Sundays.
