❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).
Under Suspicion: Tracie Andrews true story – where is Tracie Andrews now?
What's the true story behind 5's latest factual drama?
5
- Morgan Cormack
Published: Monday, 13 July 2026 at 9:00 am
Subscribe to Radio Times: 10 weeks for £10, including the Christmas double issue
Emerging from the 1996 murder of her fiancé Lee Harvey injured and heartbroken, Tracie Andrews recounted a completely nightmarish scenario to police about a road rage-fuelled attack in which Harvey lost his life and she "tried to stop the bleeding".
Ad
However, Andrews was hiding something much darker as it was eventually found that she had fabricated the story entirely and had killed Harvey herself – with the chilling case being explored in 5's Under Suspicion: Tracie Andrews.
Their relationship had been volatile, with regular arguments having erupted between the pair but Andrews soon finds herself in the line of suspicion as it becomes apparent that there are one too many inconsistencies in her story.
But what happened to Harvey and where is Andrews now? Read on for the true story behind Under Suspicion: Tracie Andrews.
Under Suspicion: Tracie Andrews true story – What happened to Lee Harvey?
Paul Amos and Emma Rigby in Under Suspicion: Tracie Andrews. 5
Harvey was killed in what was initially reported by Andrews to be a roadside attack. At the time of the murder in 1996, Andrews claimed that Harvey had been attacked by a man with "staring eyes" along a quiet road whilst on their way back home in Alvechurch, Worcestershire.
Police started to notice some discrepancies with the timeline and certain details provided by Andrews, especially after her well-known press conference on 3 December 1996. The police had to draw it to a close after Andrews gave different times to those in her original statement and her lack of shock was also notable to many.
Later, as also depicted in the drama, the police found over 80 strands of Andrews's hair in Harvey's hand, indicating a major struggle between the pair had occurred. It was then found that Harvey was stabbed over 42 times with a pen knife, with the attack happening after the pair had gotten into an argument whilst driving home.
In the drama, we see that Harvey's mother explains that she had previously warned her son about entering into a relationship with Andrews, after the pair regularly got into major arguments. The crux of their problems seemed to lay with jealousy on both sides and just one month prior to Harvey's murder, police were called to their home following a dispute.
The case continued to gain public and media attention after Andrews's press conference and eventual trial. Speaking about the way in which they chose to frame Andrews in the drama, writer and director Grant Armour said in a press pack for the series: "I wanted this sympathy to eventually dissolve in the viewer by the time she steps out to the press for her trial.
"Tracie was criticised for her glamorous appearance at the trial, almost treating it like the red carpet of a premiere. Other inmates later claimed Tracie made a statement while incarcerated to the effect of: 'I'm more famous than Princess Diana.' The line served as the ideal conclusion for the film, as it was the peak of her deluded fantasies about achieving fame."
On what he used to form the dialogue of the drama, Armour continued: "There were some official documents available including Tracie’s initial witness statement and footage from the press conference, but not all were made available. Maureen Harvey’s book, Pure Evil contained transcripts of the press conference and her own statements to the police which I drew upon heavily for those scenes.
"I needed more scenes to tell the story, including the pivotal interview under caution, which is where I wanted many of the big reveals to occur. I scoured interviews with the people involved including Det Sgt Brian Russell who interviewed Tracie and I had an invaluable call with the Senior Investigating Officer Ian Johnstone, drawing on both of their memories from the investigation. Tracie’s interview under caution was essentially a "no comment" interview but the detectives presented the evidence they had to her in order to get the murder charge."
He added: "I used the evidence later presented during the trial to make sure it was factually accurate. Some of the evidence from the trial appears in this interview for dramatic purposes. The interview under caution is the most dramatised scene, apart from a few of the smaller scenes including the dream sequence."
Did Tracie Andrews confess to killing Lee Harvey?
Emma Rigby in Under Suspicion: Tracie Andrews. 5
Eventually, yes.
Two years after being sentenced to life imprisonment, Andrews sent a letter to her lawyer in which she confessed to the murder of Harvey. In it, she claimed that she had killed Harvey in "self defence" but the physical evidence (of Harvey being predominantly stabbed in the back) suggests otherwise.
The letter was leaked to the press and at the time, Harvey's sister Michelle Harvey-Gill described Andrews as "scheming", saying: "It wouldn't surprise me if she was confessing so she could get out of prison early - save her own skin."
Where is Tracie Andrews now?
In 1997, Tracie Andrews was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of fiancé Harvey. It was recommended at the time that she serve 14 years and Andrews appealed the sentence, claiming she was the victim of a miscarriage of justice due to damaging publicity. In 1998, the appeal was denied.
However, Andrews was subsequently released from prison in 2011. Ahead of her release, public scrutiny came once again when Andrews was released from Ashkam Grange open prison for a day to go shopping in York city centre.
At the time, pictures of Andrews were snapped and published in The Sun, which showed the convicted murderer carrying shopping bags and browsing in shops, reportedly having spent eight hours out and having lunch with a friend.
Following her release, Andrews changed her name and reportedly underwent jaw surgery to change her appearance.
Want to see this content?
This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.
Accept and continue
Under Suspicion: Tracie Andrews will premiere on Monday 13 July at 9pm on 5.
Ad
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Morgan CormackDrama Writer
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
Ad
Ad
Get the Christmas double issue
Too much to watch at Christmas? Let Radio Times do the choosing to find something the whole family will enjoy.
Ad