A harrowing documentary on the notorious killer will air tonight (May 28) on Channel 511:56, 28 May 2026A chilling documentary on one woman's survival after living with serial killer John Sweeney is set to broadcast tonight (May 28).‌Channel 5 will air its harrowing documentary titled I Survived a Serial Killer: The Delia Balmer Story, which chronicles the true story on how London nurse Delia Balmer met one of the UK's most notorious murderers.‌Having first been released in 2024, the documentary explores Delia's relationship with murderer John and how she discovered the chilling truth about his past.‌With a focus solely on Delia, the survivor recounts her relationship with the 'Canal Killer', using real life interviews, police archives and expert commentary. A Channel 5 synopsis reads: "Delia Balmer relives what it was like to live with a killer."But what happened to John Sweeney and where is he now?Who is John Sweeney and what did he do?‌John Sweeney is a notorious British serial killer also known as the 'Canal Killer', who killed and dismembered his former girlfriends and dumped them in canals.Originally from Kirkdale, he earned the nickname 'scalp hunter' based on harrowing drawings depicting his crimes. After getting divorced from Anne Bramley, Sweeney eventually moved to London where he met his first victim, Melissa Halstead.In 1990, Melissa's remains were found in a Rotterdam canal, with her head and hands missing - she was 33 at the time. However, it took until 2008 to identify her.‌During 1991, Sweeney then met Delia Balmer, who was unaware of his true identity. When she attempted to end the abusive relationship in 1994, he held her captive by restraining her to her bed and threatening her with a gun and knife.During a subsequent attack following a violation of police conditions, he launched himself at her with an axe outside her home, leaving her with life-altering injuries and confessed to the murder of Melissa. However, Delia survived, and regularly speaks out about her harrowing experience.‌Another of Sweeney's victims was Paula Fields whose dismembered and headless body was found in bags in London's Regent Canal in early 2001.Originally from Liverpool, Paula was a 31-year-old mum who was eventually reported missing when her remains were found months later cut into pieces.He was arrested after his assault on Delia, but it wasn't until later that he was charged with the chilling murders of his two other victims after police connected him to both murders thanks to a collection of disturbing drawings and poems.‌It was previously reported that on the back of a scratchcard he had written a poem about his first girlfriend and murder victim: "Poor old Melissa, chopped her up in bits, food to feed the fish, Am*dam was the pits."Where is John Sweeney now?Sweeney was arrested in 2001 following his brutal axe attack on Delia Balmer in 1994. During those six years, Sweeney managed to evade capture but was eventually found by police.‌He was also later charged with the killings of Melissa Halstead and Paula Fields, after investigations connected the two murders around 2010.Now, he is serving multiple whole life sentences in prison, meaning he will spend the rest of his life in jail without the possibility of parole. He has never revealed where he hid the heads of his victimsAt the time of his sentencing, the BBC reported that Judge Mr Justice Saunders said: "These were terrible, wicked crimes. The heads of the victims having been removed, it is impossible to be certain how they were killed. The mutilation of the bodies is a serious aggravating feature of the murders."Article continues belowAt the time, police said the force was still trying to trace three unidentified women who had not been seen for several years as Det Ch Insp Howard Groves, said: "As he contemplates a life behind bars, I can assure him that this investigation will continue as we seek to identify and trace other potential victims in the UK, Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe, who may have suffered a similar fate to that of Melissa and Paula."I Survived a Serial Killer: The Delia Balmer Story airs tonight at 10pm on Channel 5. It is also available to stream online.