The Blame reaches its finale on ITV1 and STV tonight, bringing the six-part murder investigation at the centre of the series to an end and finally revealing exactly what happened to Sophie Madsen. Michelle Keegan’s DI Emma Crane has spent the series investigating the teenage figure skater’s death alongside DI Tom Radley, played by Douglas Booth, as the case exposed serious failings and corruption within Wakestead Police Station. By the time Episode 6 begins, Emma appears to be closing in on the person responsible, but the answer to Sophie’s murder is not quite as straightforward as it first seems.

The finale reveals both the identity of Sophie’s killer and the truth about how she died, before one final discovery leaves Emma herself facing some potentially difficult questions.

This article contains references to sexual assault that some readers may find distressing.

SPOILER WARNING: Major spoilers for The Blame finale follow below, including the identity of Sophie Madsen’s killer, the circumstances surrounding her death and the final twist of the series.

Was Neil Shergill Sophie Madsen’s Killer?

For much of the finale, everything appears to point towards Neil Shergill, played by Nigel Boyle. Emma arrives at the digital forensics specialist’s home after tracing the phone number behind threatening messages sent to one of the women connected to the case, and quickly realises she has put herself in serious danger.

Neil is revealed to be the serial sexual offender Emma has been searching for. Using his access within the police station, he had been able to target women whose complaints had already brought them into contact with the police. He spikes Emma’s drink, leaving her struggling to escape, before Tom arrives at the house and confronts him. Emma later wakes in hospital to learn that Neil was killed during the struggle.

Flashbacks reveal that Sophie had also visited Neil before her death. She believed he was going to help her report the way she had been treated during her police interview, only to realise that she was in danger herself. While trying to get away, Sophie discovered the photographs Neil had kept of his victims and managed to escape with evidence of what he had done. For a moment, it looks as though Neil could have been responsible for Sophie’s murder too. But Sophie did make it out of his house alive.

Who Killed Sophie Madsen in The Blame?

The real killer is DI Tom Radley. After surviving her encounter with Neil, Emma begins thinking back to Tom’s behaviour inside the house. She remembers seeing him frantically searching through drawers before calling for assistance, which raises questions about what he had actually been looking for.

Her suspicions grow after speaking to Tom’s former partner Kapil Manek, played by Vikash Bhai. Kapil reveals that Tom had previously known Neil was responsible for the rape of Marissa Andrei but chose not to expose him. Tom had put his own career first and later used that knowledge to get Neil to alter paperwork connected to Kapil, ultimately forcing his former colleague out.

Emma then asks for the clothes Tom supposedly wore on the day Sophie died to be tested again, this time looking for traces of her own DNA. When none is found, she becomes convinced that the clothes are not the ones he originally wore and that Tom replaced them because he had something to hide. When Emma confronts him, the finale finally shows what happened between Tom and Sophie in the woods.

How Did Sophie Die?

After escaping Neil’s house with the photographs, Sophie met Tom and showed him what she had discovered. She intended to expose Neil, but doing so would also risk revealing that Tom already knew what his colleague had done and had chosen to protect his own career instead of acting. Rather than helping Sophie, Tom tried to convince her not to take the allegations further. He questioned her account and attempted to make her doubt what had happened, including blaming her behaviour towards her skating coach.

Sophie eventually ran from him and fell, hitting her head on a fallen log. Tom caught up with her and initially appeared to have been handed a way out of the situation, but Sophie was still alive. He then picked up a rock and killed her. The reveal was a big shock because Tom had already been suspected of Sophie’s murder earlier in the investigation, but his name was cleared. Once Neil was exposed as the serial abuser, it seemed as though the case had finally fallen into place, making the reveal that Tom was actually the one who killed Sophie all the more devastating.

Emma can barely bring herself to arrest him. Her feelings for Tom have been obvious throughout the series, and she breaks down as she tries to read him his rights, with Tom talking her through it when she struggles. Once she manages to finish, Emma calls the arrest in and asks officers to make a silent approach, bringing the investigation to a devastating end as she is forced to hand over someone she loved after finally uncovering what he had done.

What Does The Blame’s Final Twist Mean?

Tom’s arrest answers the biggest question of the series, but The Blame does not end there.

In the closing scenes, DC Lewis Brimah, played by Nathan Mensah, is handling the clothes Emma provided as part of the DNA comparison involving Tom’s suit when he discovers a copy of one of Neil’s photographs hidden inside her jacket. That photograph takes the story back to an earlier investigation involving Amber Dodds. Emma had previously concealed evidence after she and Tom planted incriminating material in order to secure the conviction of a man they believed was a rapist. It eventually became clear that they had convicted the wrong person and that Neil was actually responsible.

Emma had told Lewis that she had no knowledge of any further photographs, meaning his discovery now raises questions about what she knew and what she deliberately kept hidden. Tom may have been exposed as Sophie’s killer, but the final scene makes it clear that Emma has not escaped the consequences of everything that happened at Wakestead. Lewis now has evidence that could bring her own conduct under scrutiny.

Will There Be a Season 2 of The Blame?

ITV has not announced a second season of The Blame, so there is no confirmation yet that the story will continue. Sophie’s murder is solved in the finale, but Lewis finding the photograph leaves Emma with a new problem of her own and gives the series a clear route forward if ITV decides to bring it back. After everything she has uncovered about Wakestead Police Station, Emma could now find herself under scrutiny for what she chose to hide in the earlier case, leaving one part of the story finished while another remains open.

For CultureCues, what a finale and what a series that was. We had our suspicions about Neil for a while, so finding out that he was the serial abuser was horrific without being completely unexpected, and we were very relieved Emma made it out of his house safely after he drugged her. But the reveal that Tom had actually killed Sophie genuinely shocked us. After he had already been suspected and cleared, and with Neil seemingly providing the answer everyone had been looking for, we had completely bought into the idea that Tom and Emma might somehow get their happy ending. Instead, we found out that Tom knew Neil was a rapist, chose to stay quiet because protecting his career mattered more to him, and ultimately killed Sophie when she threatened to expose the truth. We were gutted and, honestly, a little furious, even if it made for great television.

The series has also been difficult to watch at times in the way it has tackled misogyny, sexual violence and corruption within Wakestead Police Station. The moment at the beginning of Episode 5 revealing that the messages shown in the officers’ group chat were based on real messages sent by serving male police officers was genuinely disgusting to see. And after everything James and Stevens had done, hearing that they had lost their jobs and were facing charges was incredibly satisfying. We honestly would have loved even one scene showing them having to deal with the consequences themselves, but we’ll happily settle for knowing they did not simply get away with it offscreen. We were also very relieved that Lewis remained one of the few genuinely decent men at Wakestead and, by the end, someone Emma could still trust. Michelle Keegan has been excellent throughout, especially in the finale as Emma is forced to arrest Tom despite everything she feels for him. We have loved The Blame from beginning to end, even if that final reveal broke our hearts a little, and we would absolutely be back for more if ITV decides there is a Season 2.

The Blame finale airs tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and STV, with the series also available on ITVX.

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