With the fifth season of his ID series Very Scary People set to premiere on Sunday (April 16th), Donnie Wahlberg reveals how his Blue Bloods role helped him prepare for the terrifying show.
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While speaking to PEOPLE about the upcoming premiere, Wahlberg said he more than likely wouldn’t have his hosting duties on Very Scary People if it weren’t for his role in Blue Bloods. “I think in some ways Blue Bloods prepared the audience for me to be the host of Very Scary People. Because of the role I play on Blue Bloods, it lent a sort of credibility, I think, to me being the host of this show.”
Wahlberg also said that the Blue Bloods role also informed him about how dangerous detective work can be. “I’ve spoken to real-life detectives about the process [of hunting serial killers] and death with a lot of stuff,” he continued. “Even though it’s in a scripted world, I still have to get connected to it in a very real-life way as an actor. And I work with real-life detectives who talk to me about these experiences.”
Among the serial killers who will be examined during the show’s fifth season are Larry Hall and Richard Cottingham. Cottingham was dubbed the Times Square Killer or Torso Killer. While discussing Cottingham, Donnie Wahlberg explained the Times Square Killer is more prolific than another famous New York killer, Son of Sam. “He’s a serious serial killer that most people don’t think of when they think of New York,” he said. “So that one really jumped out for me this year.”
Donnie Wahlberg Says Every Episode of ‘Very Scary People’ Will Proved ‘New Insights’ Into the Lives of Terrifying Criminals
Earlier this month, Donnie Wahlberg revealed how excited he was for the fifth season premiere of Very Scary People. “With each episode, we bring new insights into the lives of terrifying criminals to create awareness,” Wahlberg explained. “And hope this knowledge helps prevent similar crimes from happening in the future.”
Jason Sarlanis, President of Turner Networks, ID and HLN, linear and streaming, also had nothing but praise for Wahlberg. He also said the Blue Bloods star is one of the most trusted faces of the true crime genre. “As the leader in true crime television, we at ID are delighted to become the new home of Very Scary People,” Sarlanis added.
The first episode of Very Scary People’s fifth season is called The Trailside Killer. It will focus on the story behind the west coast serial killer, David Carpenter. Between 1979 and 1981, Carpenter was responsible for attacks on hiking trails, and a small community in Northern California. The episode will give an inside look at Carpenter and how detectives were able to track him down.
