Alex Hanscombe reveals two shocking details no one knew before about Rachel Nickell and André

Netflix’s The Witness tells the story of Rachel Nickell‘s murder and the impact it had on her family, and now her son Alex Hanscombe has shared a couple of deeply personal details that weren’t fully explored on screen.

In a recent interview with The Times, Alex opened up about his parents’ relationship and what happened behind closed doors after Rachel’s death. And some of the revelations are heartbreaking.

Alex revealed his parents had lost another baby before Rachel died

via Netflix

One of the biggest revelations Alex shared was that Rachel had been pregnant before her murder. Alex said his parents had decided to have an abortion the year before everything happened. He explained that his mum never fully recovered from the decision.

“The year before everything happened, my mother had become pregnant for a second time,” Alex said. “My parents decided that the practical thing was to have an abortion. My mother never really recovered.”

He added, “She believed she was in the first stages of another pregnancy when she died. My father has been struggling with that ever since, grieving for what was lost and what might have been.”

Alex also revealed that André considered ending both their lives after Rachel’s murder

via Netflix

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Another shocking revelation came when Alex spoke about the days immediately after losing his mum. Rachel was stabbed to death on Wimbledon Common in July 1992 while walking with two-year-old Alex. Alex revealed just how devastated his father was in the aftermath.

“In the days following my mother’s death, my father contemplated ending both our lives,” he said. “He felt my bond with my mother was so strong, I wouldn’t want to go on without her.”

Alex then explained, “But when I responded the other way, he adapted very quickly. There has always been my father and the love he had for me, and evil in the space between us. I’ve been aware of both, always.”

Despite everything, Alex says his father sacrificed his life for him

via Netflix

Although Alex has previously spoken about the difficulties they faced growing up, he also shared just how much André gave up to protect him. They moved from the UK to France and later to Spain after Rachel’s murder.

“My mother gave me everything when she was alive, and she sacrificed herself to protect me,” Alex said. “And my father sacrificed his life, without any guarantees, to honour his promise to her to look after me.”

He added, “We made mistakes but made it through. I can’t thank him enough.”

Murder of Rachel Nickell is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.