Savannah Black / 11 August 2025 / Categories: Movie and TV Shows, TV Show

Chloe Ayling My Unbelievable Kidnapping BBC 3 3 Part Documentary Series

Whether you already have an opinion or not a gripping three part documentary that will change the way you think, it did me for sure

Chloe Ayling was kidnapped in July 2017. She was lured to Milan, Italy for a fake photoshoot and subsequently drugged and kidnapped. The incident involved a ransom demand and alleged attempted sale of Ayling online. She was held captive for six days before being released to the British consulate

Chloe Ayling’s BBC documentary, Chloe Ayling, my unbelievable Kidnapping The three-part documentary series, "Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable Kidnapping," was made by BBC Studios Documentary Unit. It was commissioned by BBC three and is available to watch on BBC IPlayer. The series explores Chloe Ayling's 2017 kidnapping in Milan, featuring her first-person account and interviews with others involved.

Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story" the six part drama series was produced by River Pictures for BBC Three and IPlayer in association with ZD Fneo. The series was written by Georgia Lester. with individual episodes penned by Nessa Wrafter and Tolula Dada. Al Mackay directed the series, and Clare Shepard produced it. 

When the story of Chloe Ayling’s kidnapping hit the headlines in July 2017 I remember seeing bits about it but I don’t read the tabloid newspapers or watch TV shows like This Morning so the whole thing slipped under my radar and I didn’t have any preconceived idea about Chloe or what had happened to her and when I decided to watch the documentary series I had made no prior judgement on her or her case.

The documentary series not to be confused with kidnapped the Chloe Ayling story a 6 part drama series starring Nadia Parkes as Chloe is in 3 episodes and is entitled Chloe Ayling, my unbelievable kidnapping.

Firstly I want to congratulate Clare Sillery Head of Commissioning, BBC Documentaries, and Fiona Campbell Controller for Youth Audiences. But specifically Tom Pullen for shining this alternate media light on this multi faceted story.

I have only watched 2 of the three episodes so far and cannot express how what happened to Chloe is a compelling multi level layered story of persecution, first at the hands of her attacker Lucasz Herba a crazy Polish guy now serving 16 years in Italy for the 6 day ordeal he subjected her to including drugging her and holding her against her will, threatening her in the most terrifying way and making her believe her death was imminent and then in follow up to that how she was vilified and victimised not just by the press and the TV media but by the public as well who all waded in with opinions and incorrect judgements about her and her story.

The documentary is so well done it makes you jump to the wrong conclusions yourself and then cleverly holds the mirror up for us all so we can all reflect on our own limited stereotypical viewpoint without having all the facts, I include myself here.

Thank goodness the judge Ilio Mannucci Pacini, in charge of this case in Milan was completely non prejudicial and looked only at the facts of the case and considered the victims account in its entirety. Taking into account possible reasons why Chloe omittted certain elements of the time she spend as a captive because of shame and guilt around coercion and her own behaviour in extreme circumstances of trauma and duress.

When Chloe described how she considered her death and just hoped it would not be too painful my heart broke for her and the pain she has endured, not just during the kidnap but for years following, this happened 8 years ago now. I thought about how her young life has been disrupted and overtaken by this one event and yet she has fought through to be heard and understood and thank goodness for the TV producers and commissioners that have allowed Chloe’s real wider story to be told.

I am not going to spoil the watch by revealing too much detail about this documentary, suffice to say it has more intrigue and suspense than the best Hitchcock thriller and when you see beautiful Chloe wryly smiling her way through her presenting directly to camera, monologues that form the framework of the piece I think anyone will form an opinion. And I will tell you it’s likely the wrong one. Which is what makes this documentary so absolutely brilliant because the filmmaker wants us to have that experience. The film is spectacular in that it forces everyone who watches it to take a long hard look at themselves and instead of standing on the sidelines as the know it alls we all are forces shame and then empathy out in all of us.

What happened to Chloe at the hands of Lucasz Herba is unthinkable but I hope journalists like Ruth Langsford, Eamon Holmes and especially Piers Morgan have personally apologised to Chloe Ayling face to face. If they haven’t then it’s clear to me they need to.

The facts are out there. Everyone has written about this from tabloids to broadsheets. Watch for yourself and then make your own mind up about Chloe Ayling. Mother. Daughter, wife and friend.