Agatha Christie fans shocked after TV producers CHANGE identity of killer in BBC1 Ordeal by Innocence adaptation

Agatha Christie fans were in shock tonight, after it emerged the killer had been changed in the BBC1 adaptation of Ordeal by Innocence.

In the 1958 novel, the murder of Rachel Argyll is committed by housemaid Kirsten Lindstrom, played in the TV adaptation by Scots star Morven Christie.

But tonight, viewers learnt that Leo Argyll, played by Bill Nighy, had blood on his hands.

Writer Sarah Phelps also changed some of the characters and subplots, and even spiced up the language. But she defended the moves, insisting: “I don’t give a b******s about people saying it has to be pure.”

Speaking before the first episode of the three-parter, Ms Phelps con­­fessed to taking “some quite big liberties”. She explained: “I took the idea of this f***ed-up family and thought about the 1950s and, to the horror of devotees, I’ve changed quite a lot.”

Many fans were unimpressed. Karen Quinn said: “Totally rewriting her books is a disgrace – and for all the money spent, the book was a million times better.”

Zoe Marriott agreed: “Christie’s plots are like a finely tuned watch – anyone who thinks they can do better is (based on this evidence) very much fooling themselves.”

But James Prichard, of the Agatha Christie estate, defended the changes, saying: “No one is going to accuse Sarah of not being brave or radical.”