It was the trial that gripped Australia and captured the attention of the world. Now, following the guilty verdict, we take you inside the courtroom with Murder by Mushroom, the compelling documentary of the sensational trial which premieres tomorrow night (Tuesday, July 8) at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. 

This one-hour special, filmed over the course of the trial, delivers the full story as you’ve never heard it, with previously unseen recounts from the proceedings and an FBI-style profile analysis of Erin Patterson. It delves into the mysterious events surrounding the fatal lunch in the quiet country town of Leongatha, where three guests died and a fourth was left fighting for his life after consuming a dish of beef wellington laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms. 

The documentary features the only person to speak at length with Patterson, investigative journalist Sam Cucchiara, known for his work on A Current Affair, who details his strange viral interview with her. 

Adding to the depth of analysis is FBI-trained criminal profiler and former homicide detective Kris Illingsworth, who explores what has become one of Australia’s most bizarre and riveting crime cases. 

Illingsworth analyses the case in an attempt to determine if these deaths were a terrible, tragic accident, or if Patterson deliberately killed her lunch guests. She examines the strong connection each victim had not just to Patterson but to the Baptist Church, and for the first time considers if religious retribution could have been a possible motive. She also discusses Patterson’s alleged dumping of a food dehydrator, examining it not just as a potential disposal of evidence but as a psychological distancing from a dark crime.

The documentary features exclusive insights from other key contributors, including 9News court reporter Amber Johnstone and Daily Mail reporter Tita Smith, who shares her chilling account of Patterson’s world inside her home. 

Additional contributors include Ashlea Hansen, a highly respected senior journalist; Nathan Hersey, Deputy Mayor of South Gippsland Shire Council; Scott Rae, a local mushroom enthusiast; and Simon Claringbold, a death cap mushroom survivor from Canberra.

The intriguing Murder by Mushroom will bring audiences right up to date with the public knowledge of the case, offering a comprehensive look at events following the conclusion of the sensational trial of Erin Patterson. 

The program has been sold to Channel 5 (UK), Three/Warner Bros Discovery (NZ) and will be sold to other international partners via ITV Studios Global Partnerships. 

Murder by Mushroom is produced by Perpetual Entertainment for the 9Network.

For further information, please contact:
Lucy Charles
9Network Publicity
lucy.charles@nine.com.au

Monday, 7 July, 2025