Singer Duffy Steps Back Into The Spotlight Following Harrowing Abuse With New Hulu Documentary

Grammy, Brit, and Ivor Novello award-winning Welsh singer-songwriter, Duffy, is sharing her story in a new Hulu Original feature-length documentary film.

Following the release of her multi-platinum album, Rockferry, in 2008, Duffy was one of the biggest names in music during the late 2000s. The album’s lead single, Mercy, debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 87 and continued to top charts around the globe.

However, just as the artist was reaching new heights, she disappeared. For 10 years, Duffy vanished from the music scene, social media, and the public eye, without a word. Then, in 2020, the singer published a harrowing post on her social media. She revealed that, a decade earlier, she had been drugged before being kidnapped and taken to another country, where she was violently and sexually abused. It had a devastating ripple effect across her entire life, cutting her off from the world. The singer has barely been seen or heard from since, but her new documentary will attempt to fill in these gaps.

Documenting her life in this way for the first time, the documentary will be a retrospective film traversing Duffy’s life, from her upbringing in Wales through to her meteoric rise to fame and her withdrawal from public life following her unfathomable experience. Directed by Gill Callan, the feature will be driven by new, unprecedented access to the singer, along with a rich and nostalgic archive, and interviews with family, friends, and close peers in the music industry.

“Fifteen years ago, Duffy was one of the most famous singers in the world,” said Sean Doyle, Vice President, Unscripted, Disney+, “Her voice was distinctly recognizable and powerful. Songs ‘Mercy’ and ‘Warwick Avenue’ from her debut album led to 3 Brit Awards, a Grammy, and Duffy being at the peak of her career. And then she disappeared. This film will give Duffy the chance to tell her story in her own words.”

“Duffy’s life has been shaped by success and fame,” added director Gill Callan, “But equally by pain, defiance, and an irrepressible sense of self. I’m drawn to the tension between vulnerability and confidence in her story and how a person can be deeply affected by their experiences, yet still find a powerful, expressive voice that is unmistakably hers.”