Rachel Shenton’s character Joanna could be in real danger…

The Rumour on Channel 5 achieves what all good thrillers should aim for – it stages a crime (historic in this case) and floats a tantalising selection of suspects…

It’s for us armchair detectives to try to work out our own theories about the culprit. And that’s not as easy as it sounds, as thrillers often like to throw a few curveballs our way. See Line of Duty‘s mysterious H for proof.

This new series boldly tackles several of the thorniest issues in today’s society. First of all, the dangers of idle gossip, social media, and vigilantism. And secondly, and most crucially, what we would do if we discovered a murderer was living next door…

So who are our top suspects after watching episode 1 of The Rumour on Channel 5? Read on to find out…

***Warning: spoilers from episode 1 of The Rumour ahead***

Rachel Shenton as single mum Joanna in The Rumour [Credit: Channel 5]

Who is Sally McGowan in The Rumour?

In the new C5 five-parter, we meet single mum Joanna. She moved to the “quiet” town of Flinstead with her young son, Alfie, hoping for a fresh start. But within a very short period, she was already in the thick of something murky.

While working as an estate agent in her new job, she found something alarming on a homeowners forum. She discovered that a convicted child killer called Sally McGowan could be living under another name in Flinstead. And she quickly blurted this out in public…

What did Sally McGowan do? Well, when she was just a 10-year-old schoolgirl, she “butchered a little boy”. She lured five-year-old Robbie Harris away from his friends and stabbed him three times in the stomach. A judge sentenced Sally to 10 years in prison. This was in the 70s, meaning that Sally – living under a new identity – would now be in her late 60s or early 70s herself.

So is the convicted child killer Sally McGowan really hiding in plain sight in Flinstead? And, if so, who could she be? Here are the top suspects after watching episode 1 of The Rumour…

The Rumour Channel 5 suspects: Clues we have so far

Well, the convicted child killer was 10 when they were sentenced to 10 years behind bars – presumably at a juvenile detention centre.

They would now be in their 60s or 70s, so that rules out all of the school mums obviously. But there are several women who look suspicious after episode 1. Not least Joanna’s own mum! More on that below.

We also know they would have moved to Flinstead at some point over the past 50 years. Sally had a distinguishing birthmark on her face which, of course, could have been lasered off or covered by make-up.

Lastly, we learnt that Sally claimed she was from an abusive home life. Of course, the storyline – which bears an uncanny similarity to the brutal murder of Jamie Bulger in 1993 – must also address a rather crucial question. Which is, if Sally has done her time, shouldn’t she be left alone to get on with her life?
Could Sonia Martins really be Sally McGowan in The Rumour? [Credit: C5]

Our the top 5 suspects in The Rumour on Channel 5…

Joanna’s mum Bea

Joanna’s mum Bea, played by Joanne Whalley in The Rumour cast, is currently our top suspect in The Rumour. I mean, it would be quite the twist if Bea’s own daughter unwittingly exposed her mum’s secret past.

There’s absolutely no proof at the moment, so we’ll have to carry on watching for more clues. Although there was that weird dream that Joanna had at the beginning of the episode… A small girl, who we assume was a young Joanna, watched from her bed as a doll was consumed by flames. The meaning? Nothing good, we reckon.

Sonia Martins

Meanwhile, Sonia Martins is the character most of Flinstead suspects. Mainly because she is a bit grumpy and secretive, not local, and the right age. She also has the same initials – but surely someone under witness protection would not have!

The biggest piece of evidence against Sonia is her tattoo. She told Joanna that it was a fertility symbol, although she does not have children. However, prison warden and fellow mum Rachel insisted inmates have them in prison.

Rachel revealed the five dots represent the four walls of a prison cell, with the central dot representing the prisoner. So has Sonia been to jail, and could she be the real Sally McGowan? She’s too obvious at the moment, so we think not.

Kay

The only evidence against Kay, apart from her age, is her notable slip up about her family.

When Joanna asked her if she had children, she told her that her daughter and grandkids had moved to New Zealand. But she later told the group it was Australia. Suss? Yes. But we believe it’s a red herring.

And don’t forget she’d also been watching a documentary about Robbie Harris’ death on her laptop when Joanna arrived to evaluate her home. She could, in fact, be the person who posted the rumour on the homeowners forum in the first place.

Liz

Again, there’s no evidence for this – yet. But she’s the right age, and is firmly entrenched in the lives of Joanna, Bea, and Alfie. As Joanna’s partner, she’d be the perfect suspect. Watch this space!

No one/someone else

Could Joanna just be spreading nothing more than a rumour, as the title of the series suggests? Perhaps Sally McGowan is NOT living in Flintstead after all. Although that would be a rather frustrating plot twist.

Of course, it could be someone we haven’t met yet. We’ll find out more in episodes 2 and 3, which air on Thursday, September 11, and Friday, September 12, at 9pm on Channel 5. The final two episodes continue the week after on Wednesday, September 17, and Thursday 18 at 9pm.
Where in the world are Kay’s grandkids? Even she doesn’t know! [Credit: Channel 5]

Other questions we have after watching episode 1

Sally McGowan’s identity isn’t the only mystery in The Rumour… Joanna is clearly hiding something herself.

Why she left London, and ran away from her husband Michael are two questions that need answering. We suspect Seth holds the key.

Someone called Seth has been messaging Joanna ever since she arrived in Flinstead. And the pair even enjoyed a zoom call – although we didn’t clap eyes on him. Is Joanna having an affair?

We also need to know who vandalised Joanna’s garage door, who posted the rumour on the online homeowners forum in the first place, and why Michael took Alfie to get his passport photos done. Is he planning to take Alfie away from Joanna?