The remarkable story of Jane Andrews, a former royal aide whose life unravelled into scandal and tragedy, is being transformed into a four-part drama titled The Lady.
Commissioned by ITV in partnership with BritBox International, the series dives deep into Andrews’ rise to prominence and her subsequent fall from grace.
Produced by Left Bank Pictures, the team behind The Crown, the drama promises to be as compelling as the true events it’s inspired by.
Jane Andrews’ life seemed like a modern fairy tale. A working-class girl from Grimsby, she landed a job as a dresser to the Duchess of York after answering an ad in The Lady magazine.
For nearly a decade, she moved within the elite circles of British society. But when her royal role ended, her dreams of climbing the social ladder began to crumble.
A whirlwind romance with businessman Thomas Cressman seemed to offer a second chance, but cracks in their relationship turned fatal. In 2001, Andrews was convicted of Cressman’s murder, a case that captivated headlines worldwide.
The drama’s script comes from Debbie O’Malley, acclaimed for her work on Payback and Humans.
Debbie O’Malley said: “When Jane Andrews was tried for the murder of Thomas Cressman in 2001 it made headlines around the world. But behind those headlines, lay a much more complex, painful and thought-provoking story – an exploration of female ambition and human frailty and a devastating chain of events that ended in the taking of a man’s life.
“And this story, tied up with our national preoccupation with class and our ongoing obsession with the Royal family, feels every bit as relevant now as it did twenty years ago.”
The series will be directed by Lee Haven Jones (The Feast) and produced by Florence Haddon-Cave (Quiz).
Filming is set to begin in early 2025, with casting to follow. Audiences in the UK can watch The Lady on ITV1 and ITVX, while viewers in North America will stream it on BritBox.
More on: ITV
