Discovery UK Orders Martine Vik Magnussen Doc

Discovery UK has commissioned Martine: Chasing Justice (w/t), a new documentary series focused on the investigation into the murder of 23-year-old Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen.

Martine: Chasing Justice features access to the victim’s family, including her father, Odd-Petter Magnussen, and her mother, Kristin Vik, who has hardly spoken about her daughter’s murder. The docuseries is set to premiere in the U.K. on discovery+ in the fall.

Martine’s body was found abandoned and half-buried under rubble in the basement of an apartment block in London in the spring of 2008, after having disappeared following a night out with friends. She was last seen with the prime suspect, Farouk Abdulhak, who lived in the apartment block where her body was found and studied with Martine.

Abdulhak disappeared after wiping his Facebook account and emerged in his billionaire father’s homeland Yemen, where he has since lived as a free man. He has been wanted by Interpol since 2008 in connection with Martine’s rape and murder. After a 14-year investigation, a breakthrough development of the case has emerged with the arrest of a woman in London.

Martine: Chasing Justice is a co-production with Discovery Nordics. The series is produced by Ingrid Wevang at Monster.

Clare Laycock , senior VP of planning and insights and head of lifestyle and entertainment brands at Discovery, said: “Martine: Chasing Justice (w/t) is a tragic story of a young, bright woman in her early 20s whose brutal and untimely murder sparked international outrage. This five-part series examines the power of influence and a family’s tireless fight for justice. As the case continues to unfold, even as recently as this week, we are proud to bring this important story to discovery+ later this year.”

Wevang said: “As times change, so do the opportunities for new elements in this case. We work closely with sources and follow many tracks. This is a complex case that not only involves many private individuals but also has had major ripple effects politically.”