A couple recently made an unusual request to a lookalike agency in Eastbourne, East Sussex, seeking an impersonator of Harold Shipman for their infant’s christening ceremony. The clients explained that their family shared a distinctive sense of humor and frequently joked about the notorious serial killer.

The request was submitted to Andy Harmer, who operates the agency Lookalikes. According to Harmer, the couple asked for someone resembling Shipman to attend the event discreetly, with instructions to "sit in on the ceremony waiting to be noticed and mingle with guests afterwards."

Harmer described the inquiry as one of the more unusual he has encountered in his career. He noted that although he had previously worked with a Shipman lookalike, the individual declined to participate in the proposed event due to discomfort with the nature of the request.

Harold Shipman, a British general practitioner, was convicted in 2000 of murdering 15 patients but is suspected of causing the deaths of up to 250 people over his career. He died in prison in 2004 at 57 years old.