Investigation Discovery’s Playboy Murders is back for season 3 — and host Holly Madison is introducing some of the most deadly cases.
In Us Weekly‘s exclusive first look at the trailer, Madison, 45, reflects on cases related to the Playboy Mansion that made headlines, saying, “For a new girl coming into Playboy, there is an endless potential for opportunity. But Playboy can put a target on your back, and that can get very dangerous.”
Madison, who is the host and an executive producer, elaborated on those dangers. “If you are one of the Bunnies working at the club, it must have been terrifying,” she added in the sneak peek clip, which introduced a casting director, a photographer and more people with connections to Playboy.
“I’m beyond excited for the new season of The Playboy Murders — this one is more intense and revealing than ever,” Madison told Us in a statement. “We’re diving deep into the dark truths hidden behind the glamour, uncovering shocking twists and heartbreaking realities. These stories are raw and powerful, and I can’t wait to take you on this eye-opening journey with me.”
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The true crime series returns with six new episodes on Monday, May 5. According to the synopsis, Madison is “recounting the shocking intersections of murder and mystery within the world of the iconic adult men’s magazine, Playboy. Madison, renowned for her intimate knowledge of the Playboy empire and her compelling storytelling, brings a unique perspective to the series, providing an empathetic voice to the untimely deaths of those connected to the brand.”
ID’s The Playboy Murders focus on crimes involving Playboy models and Playmates. The season 3 premiere explores the tragic fate of Playboy casting assistant Kimberly Fattorini, while other cases covered on the show include 2000 Playmate of the Month Kerissa Fare, Playboy Bunny Jackie Hendrickson‘s encounter with Atlanta plastic surgeon Dr. Warren Brown, the late Adrienne Pollack‘s connection to Hugh Hefner and more.
Before hosting ID’s The Playboy Murders and Lethally Blonde, Madison dated Playboy founder Hefner from 2001 to 2008. She has since been outspoken about her complicated history with the famed magazine and Hefner, who died in 2017 at age 91.
“It is very healing, but every time I talk about it, it is kind of, like, reawakening the trauma a little bit,” she exclusively told Us in 2023. “So I’m kind of careful about when I talk and in what context.”
Madison has chosen to use her voice to help other women speak out about their experiences, adding, “I talked about it recently when Bridget [Marquardt] and I started our podcast [‘Girls Next Level’] and I talked about it in Secrets of Playboy. I didn’t really want to, but I knew that so many other women were coming forward with their stories. I wanted to be supportive of that because I know what it feels like to be one person coming out and with nobody supporting you. That was important to me.”
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At the time, Madison broke down her decision to sign on for The Playboy Murders.
“When I was approached about doing this show, I was given a deck with a description of all the cases in it. I was really compelled by it because not only are these extremely interesting cases and all six are very different, but I had never even heard of most of these cases,” she explained. “I thought I knew everything about Playboy history and everything that happened to every Playmate, but I’d never heard of these. So I was extremely intrigued and I knew this was the type of show that I would wanna watch whether or not I was involved. So that was a definite yes for me.”
The Playboy Murders returns to Investigation Discovery Monday, May 5, at 9 p.m. ET. New episodes will be available to stream on Max.
