Chloe Ayling made her first joint appearance with Nadia Parkes, the lookalike actress who’s playing her in the BBC drama Kidnapped, as the duo opened up about working together on Wednesday’s This Morning.
The model was lured to Italy for a photoshoot in 2017 by Polish brothers Lukasz and Michal Herba with the promise of modelling work – only to be drugged and kidnapped.
After being injected with the horse tranquilliser ketamine and bundled into a suitcase at a Milan photo studio, she was taken to a farmhouse near Turin and told she would be sold as a sex slave in an online auction.
Her horrific story has been retold in the TV series, which follows her terrifying kidnap, her bravery in captivity and the court case that put her kidnappers behind bars.
During the ITV breakfast show, Chloe and Nadia, 28, lifted the lid on how they spent time together ahead of the series so Nadia could get to know Chloe’s personality.
Chloe Ayling made her first joint appearance with Nadia Parkes, the lookalike actress who’s playing her in the BBC drama Kidnapped, as the duo opened up about working together on Wednesday’s This Morning
The model was lured to Italy for a photoshoot in 2017 by Polish brothers Lukasz and Michal Herba with the promise of modelling work – only to be drugged and kidnapped
Rylan questioned: ‘When it’s someone’s real life story, and it’s not a pleasant story by any means, did you feel the pressure of that?’
‘Massively,’ responded the actress, ‘You know, it was such a responsibility to do this story justice, do Chloe justice.
‘Like you said, a lot of things are just based on true events. Everything that’s in the drama has actually happened so going to those emotional spaces and the headspace that Chloe must have been in at that time, it was a hard job.
‘But I was lucky enough that someone could shout cut and you know, Chloe couldn’t wake up from the nightmare.’
Nadia emphasised that it was ‘really important’ to her that she told the story in the most accurate and authentic way.
Addressing Chloe directly, she said: ‘I was lucky enough to meet you three or four times and ask you questions about what happened to you.
‘But also I got to ask what kind of music you listen to and stuff. I think for accessing a character, the events are one thing but I needed to get to know Chloe and pick up her voice and her mannerisms and the way she walked and stuff.’
Chloe revealed that work towards the series began in 2020, explaining: ‘I had very close meetings with the writer and with Nadia before filming started so she could understand by characteristics, personality, how I behave.
Her horrific story has been retold in a the TV series, Kidnapped, which follows her terrifying kidnap, her bravery in captivity and the court case that put her kidnappers behind bars (Nadia pictured as Chloe)
Nadia also said of her casting in Kidnapped: ‘This is a timely and important story about how we perceive trauma in the media’
Rylan questioned ‘When it’s someone’s real life story, and it’s not a pleasant story by any means, did you feel the pressure of that?’
‘And that’s also an important part because it’s part of why I wasn’t believed.’
Despite her kidnappers being jailed for 16 years, Chloe said online trolls still attack her story seven years after the incident.
Talking about her interviews at the time, where many people judged her for not crying, she added: ‘I was in defence mode.
‘I was just answering questions about what happened and just being as factual as possible to tell what had happened and people didn’t like that.’
Following her appearance on the ITV breakfast show, vicious trolls once again attacked the former glamour model, writing:
‘Spending waaaay too much time talking to Chloe Enough of this fake news already! Next please! #ThisMorning’
‘I don’t think anyone honestly thinks that Chloe Ayling thing actually played out as alleged #thismorning’
‘The reason why people didn’t believe it is due to her behaviour afterwards #ThisMorning’
Following her appearance on the ITV breakfast show, vicious trolls once again attacked the former glamour model
Nadia emphasised that it was ‘really important’ to her that she told the story in the most accurate and authentic way
The Chloe Ayling story will launch on Wednesday on BBC Three at 9pm
‘Was that interview supposed to make people believe her, because if so it didn’t work #thismorning’
‘That hasn’t changed my mind about anything #ThisMorning’
‘She looked like she was after glamour work, not a victim talking about her kidnapping. She is very odd #ThisMorning’
It comes just after Chloe bravely spoke about the ordeal on BBC Breakfast.
She said: ‘I want it to be understood. All I wanted at the time was for the facts to be laid out and for people to understand the case. What happened in court and the evidence against him.
‘I just feel that was never shown at the time. It was so focused on me and that’s not what I wanted. I wanted everyone to see facts and that’s what the drama shows and people will gain a lot of knowledge from this drama.’
When asked about the accusations that she made the story up, Chloe said: ‘A lot of people don’t understand it. When I see comments, they don’t know the facts and they say things that are not true.
London-based Nadia grew up in Leamington Spa and attended The King’s High School for Girls in Warwick (pictured in 2019)
‘This is what the drama shows. Things that no one knew at the time because they were misled by the media.
‘Hopefully they can get more knowledge from the show and of the case. So with future victims they don’t get misled by the media and not just jump to conclusions because it’s not fair on future victims.’
London-based Nadia, who’s playing Chloe, is the daughter of a Scottish Italian mother and has one older sister Michaella Parkes, 31, a writer.
She grew up in Leamington Spa and attended The King’s High School for Girls in Warwick before studying acting at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
The actress got her big break starring as Rosa de Vargas on STARZ’s historical drama series, The Spanish Princess before she’d even left LAMDA.
The Chloe Ayling story will launch on Wednesday on BBC Three at 9pm