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Left Bank Pictures, the highly acclaimed independent production company and Sony Pictures Television Company subsidiary, recently secured their next royal project. The multi-award-winning company produced Netflix’s critically acclaimed The Crown, which left fans of Royal dramas itching for more. They since set their sights on a new project commissioned by ITV and Britbox International. It’s based on the rise and fall of Jane Andrews, the Duchess of York’s former aide and dresser. Plot twist, she’s a convicted murderer!
A convicted murderer turned aide is not the statement fans expected to make about any royal employee. After responding to an advertisement in The Lady magazine fans will see Jane’s life take an unexpected yet welcome upward trajectory. Andrews went from a young, working-class girl from Grimsby to the Duchess of York’s aide and dresser. However, after working within the elite circles of the British Society, Andrews lost her job with the Duchess.
In an eventual downward spiral, she killed her husband, Thomas Cressman, and went to jail. Commissioned as a four-part drama, the upcoming The Lady project will air globally through Sony Pictures Television. In a partly fictionalized manner, it will recount the grass to grace to the prison tale of Andrews. Her once inspirational life unraveled when she went to prison for committing murder.
Who Wrote the Drama Series?
Per Deadline, Debbie O’Malley wrote the captivating series (Humans, Payback, Harlots). It will air on STV and ITV1, while streamers in the UK can stream it on STV player and ITVX. Furthermore, the North-American based streaming audience can binge-watch on Britbox.
Florence Haddon-Cave, lauded for her work on The Crown and Everything Now, will produce the drama series. Also, on behalf of BritBox International, Robert Schildhouse, Jess O’Riordan, and Stephen Nye serve as executive producers. Senior drama commissioner Helen Zeigler will supervise the production process.
“Debbie’s compelling and brilliant scripts re-evaluate what we think we know of Jane Andrews and the events that led to the tragic end of Thomas Cressman’s life. We are thrilled to work with the Left Bank team to bring this complex exploration of class, celebrity, ambition, and identity to ITV and ITVX.”
President of BritBox North America and General Manager of BritBox international, Robert Schildhouse, one of the aforementioned executive producers, also commented:
“Inspired by true events, The Lady is a riveting exploration of ambition, desire, and the pursuit of social mobility. With a brilliant script penned by Debbie O’Malley and with the creative partnership of Left Bank Pictures and ITV, we are intent on portraying this true crime drama with nuance and depth. We know the universal themes of power, class, and belonging will resonate with audiences everywhere.”
Inside the Life of Jane Andrews
Born on April 1, 1967, in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England to blue-collar parents, a joiner and social worker. Despite her humble background, she excelled in school. Her teenage years, although mired by psychological problems, resulted in a failed suicide attempt at 15. At 21, she landed a fashion course and got a job at Marks and Spencer. Shortly after, she replied to an anonymous advertisement that propelled her to Buckingham Palace.
Her first marriage to a much older gentleman was short-lived, with infidelity cited as one of the causes. “I’m not proud of it,” Andrews admitted. Next, she dated the son of a Greek shipping magnate, Dimitri Horne. It’s unclear why the pair broke up, but Andrews responded by trashing his apartment. In 1998, a mutual friend introduced Andrews to her to Thomas Ashley Cressman.
In 2000, Andrews and Cressman traveled to Italy for a getaway vacation and stayed in his family’s villa. She initially though he would propose to her, but was shocked when Cressman said he was not interested in marrying her. On September 17, the duo reportedly had a heated argument and reports confirm that Cressman called the police. Sadly, while he was asleep, Andrews hit him with a bat and stabbed him. Days later, the unstable former royal dresser overdosed in her car, and this led to her arrest.
