North East's John Darwin had ambitions to become an after dinner speaker

Darwin is currently the centre of attention on the ITV drama The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, which is based on the story of how he paddled out to sea in his canoe near his home in Seaton Carew, just south of Hartlepool, and disappeared in 2003.

Paul Gough who runs ‘Goffy Media’ based in Hartlepool has told how he was contacted by Darwin in 2013 and learned he was eager to find out how the after dinner circuit worked.

The current BBC Radio Tees presenter said: “Out of the blue John Darwin called me and asked If I could give him an understanding of how the lucrative after dinner circuit worked.

“I explained that some of the big names attracted fees of up to £10,000 and he felt that his story would attract people to listen to him.

Anne and John Darwin were jailed for their crimes

Darwin worked on a plan to leave the country and hoped to find an agent who would help him get bookings outside of the UK, while also "working hard" on a script for his speeches. 

Mr Gough said all the intricacies of Darwin's story continue to amaze him to this day. 

“He told me how his wife Anne would arrange the curtains in their homes on Seaton Carew front – if they were fully open all was clear and if partly drawn there would be people inside the house and possible danger," he said.

"Between the two of them they had worked out many schemes to keep people off the scent."

Read more: Seaton Carew hotel is scrapping 'canoe man' branding after ITV John Darwin drama

He is believed to have said the original TV drama based on his story in 2010 - Canoe Man - on BBC was littered with inaccuracies and he felt getting out in front of the public was his way of putting the record straight.

The Darwin's owned properties at The Cliff in Seaton Carew

Darwin now lives in the Philippines with his second wife, and was recently spotted in Manila. 

Read more: Where is canoe man John Darwin now? His life revealed after ITV drama

Mr Gough added: “He felt that with the story being one of the most bizarre and talked-about stories ever, that he could rebuild his life chatting at speaking functions about exactly what was going through his mind as he faked his death, convincing the police, key authorities and his family in the process.”

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