We love a Royal watch but don’t expect The Crown mark two with ITV1’s gritty drama that’s actually based on real-life events and people. But since it’s not a documentary some names have been changed, while some characters, events and scenes have been created and merged for dramatic purposes. Anyway, that’s the technical stuff out of the way, so what’s The Lady about?
The four-parter stars Mia McKenna-Bruce as working class Jane Andrews who’s desperate to leave her home town in the north for a new life in London. And after she lands her dream job as the Duchess of York’s personal dresser, her fairytale’s complete when she moves into Buckingham Palace. But after nine years it begins to go horribly wrong. First Jane loses her job, and then her stormy relationship with dashing Tommy Cressman ends in murder as she swaps a palace for prison.
Who stars in The Lady?
Mia McKenna-Bruce as Jane Andrews
It’s 1988 and Jane Andrews is working in a clothes shop when she takes a chance and answers the job ad which changes her life. Soon she’s mixing with Royalty as she devotes herself to her new boss Sarah Ferguson, who was then the Duchess of York. Ambitious with a volatile temper, Jane has a checkered relationship history.
‘I just fell in love with every aspect of this brilliant drama,’ says Mia McKenna-Bruce. 'When we first meet Jane, she's full of hope and wants to escape the life that she has in her small town and go and live in a palace. I think as a young girl, I also had dreams like that, this fairy tale.’
There’s a lady theme going on for Mia McKenna-Bruce whose most recent role saw her star as amateur sleuth Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent in Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials (2026). While Mia’s first TV role was Penny Branning in EastEnders (2008), she’s better known as Tee Taylor in Tracy Beaker Returns (2010-12) and The Dumping Ground (2013-18). On the big screen she won the BAFTA Rising Star Award for the coming-of-age drama How To Have Sex (2023).
Ed Speleers as Thomas Cressman
Fun-loving and handsome, Tommy Cressman meets Jane Andrews (Mia McKenna-Bruce) at a bar and soon sweeps her off her feet. But the fairytale romance turns toxic, with Jane’s volatile emotions driving a wedge between them and ultimately leading to murder.
‘This is a dramatization of a specific event. In our version of Tommy and Jane, he did want it to work,’ says Ed Speleers. ‘The journey they go on in the scripts is obviously deeply tragic.’
Ed Speleers most recently starred in BBC1’s comedy Black Ops as treacherous Steve (2026) although Trekkies will know him as Jack Crusher from Star Trek: Picard (2023). However his packed CV includes Jimmy Kent in period drama Downtown Abbey (2012-14) and Stephen Bonnet in fantasy romance Outlander (2018-20).
Natalie Dormer as Sarah Ferguson
Commonly known as Fergie, Sarah Ferguson wed Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in 1986 and the marriage lasted 10 years. Fergie comes across with a veneer of confidence in the drama that hides her insecurity. Although she welcomes Jane Andrews (Mia McKenna-Bruce) as a confidante, Fergie puts up barriers when she grows too close, and eventually lets her go.
Her role as Margaery Tyrell in Game Of Thrones (2012-14) brought Natalie Dormer international recognition and you’ll also know her as Cressida from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) and Part 2 (2015). She also played Irene Adler in the Jonny Lee Miller led Elementary (2013-15), and Anne Boleyn on The Tudors (2007-10). More recently she starred as Carla in psychological thriller The Wasp (2024), whose childhood best friend has a deadly job offer.
Philip Glenister as DCI Keith Douglas
Seasoned detective DCI Keith Douglas leads the investigation into Tommy Cressman’s (Ed Speleers) murder. While others may doubt Jane Andrews’ (Mia McKenna-Bruce) guilt, he’s convinced from the start that she’s the culprit.
The younger brother of fellow actor Robert Glenister, Philip Glenister’s TV debut was in an episode of Minder (1991) that featured the antics of dodgy Arthur Daley. Although he starred in Paul Abbott’s Clocking Off (2000-2002), he’s probably best known as old school copper DCI Gene Hunt in time-travelling Life On Mars (2006-07) and its follow-up Ashes To Ashes (2008-10). He’s also starred in Outcast (2016-17), the Bergerac (2025) detective reboot and thriller After The Flood (2024-26).
Claire Skinner as June Andrews
June Andrews is Jane’s caring mum, who worries about her daughter’s emotional and mental well being.
Claire Skinner's best known as long-suffering mum-of-three Sue Brockman in the sitcom Outnumbered (2007-24), who’s married to history teacher Pete (Hugh Dennis). She’s also starred in two of Mike Leigh’s films, Life Is Sweet (1990) and Naked (1993). More recently she played Chief Superintendent Mary Ormond in the cop drama McDonald & Dodds (2022-24) that’s set in Bath, Bridget Jones’ pal Magda in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (2025) and also popped up as Tricia in two episodes of Sally Wainwright’s Riot Women (2025-) about a group of middle-aged women that form a punk band.
Daniel Ryan as David Andrews
David Andrews is Jane Andrews' (Mia McKenna-Bruce) loving and concerned father.
Daniel Ryan’s credits include starring with Liza Tarbuck in Paul Abbott’s comedy drama Linda Green (2001-02), and Bryn Brindsley in period drama Home Fires (2015-16) that’s set during WWII. More recently you’ll have seen him as DI Tony Manning in The Bay (2019-24) that sees the police solving cases in Lancashire’s Morecambe Bay. He also starred as former minister Tom Watson in The Hack (2025) which was based on the phone hacking scandal and the murder of a private investigator.
Mark Stanley as Charles
Before her ill-fated relationship with Tommy Cressman (Ed Speleers), Jane Andrews (Mia McKenna-Bruce) was married to Charles.
Mark Stanley made his TV debut as ace fighter pilot Douglas Bader in an episode of Heroes Of The Skies (2012) and later turned up as Grenn in Game Of Thrones (2011-14) and as Bill Sikes in Dickensian (2015-16). More recently he played Colin Caffell in mini-series White House Farm (2020), who lost his ex-wife and twin sons in a killing spree by Jeremy Bamber. He also starred as DI Thom Youngblood, who was close to bomb disposal expert Lana Washington in Trigger Point (2022-24), before he was murdered. His latest role is as Danny Hill, who loses his son Cefin, in Under Salt Marsh (2026).
Laura Aikman as Francesca
A close friend of Jane Andrews (Mia McKenna-Bruce).
Earlier in her career Laura Aikman played half-fairy Mysti in children’s series The Mysti Show, and later joined Casualty (2009-10) as junior doctor Mary Phelps. She also appeared in the first series of Lemon La Vida Loca (2012-13) as Keith Lemon’s Yorkshire girlfriend Rosie Parker. Other notable roles are as deputy headteacher Lorna Hutchinson in Waterloo Road (2015) and comedy The Job Lot (2014-15). More recently she played mob accountant Rachel Duffy in gangster drama This City Is Ours.
Ophelia Lovibond as Aleksandra
A socialite and confidante of Jane Andrews (Mia McKenna-Bruce).
Ophelia Lovibond made her TV debut as Poppy in sitcom The Wilsons (2000), and she later appeared in Elementary (2014-19) as Kitty Winter, Lady Alex Spencer-Parker in action adventure series Hooten & The Lady (2016-17) and Carina in Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014). More recently she played Annabel Dacre in Partygate (2023), a TV movie about how Covid rules were flouted during lockdown, and as Stella Beekman in Robert Zemeckis’ coming-of-age movie Here (2024).
Sean Teale as Luis
Jane Andrews' (Mia McKenna-Bruce) rich former lover who she stalks after he breaks things off.
Sean Teale’s best known as Nick in teen drama Skins (2011-12), but his credits also include Franco in Mr Selfridge (2014), Mary Stuart’s lover Louis de Bourbon in period drama Reign (2014-15), and Ben Larson in the futuristic dystopian sci-fi drama Incorporated (2016-17). More recently he played nurse Tristan Silva in Doctor Odyssey (2024-25) that follows a medical team on a luxury cruise ship, and Enrique, who works for criminal John Palmer in The Gold (2023-25), a drama based on the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery.
Is The Lady based on a book?
No. Sian McWilliams, the creative director at production company Left Bank Pictures, that’s made the drama, suggested the idea to writer Debbie O’Malley.
‘I started doing quite a lot of research and immediately thought it was absolutely fascinating,’ says Debbie O'Malley. ‘The more I read about it, the more it felt that there was a real depth to the story behind the somewhat salacious headlines. There was an obvious interest in someone who'd come from what the press referred to repeatedly as very humble beginnings to find herself, literally overnight, in Buckingham Palace.
‘Over a period of 10 years, Jane [Andrews] became not just an employee but a very trusted confidante of a member of the royal family. And then, it was all just taken away very abruptly when she lost her job.’
Where is the real Jane Andrews now?
*Spoiler(s) alert*
Following her trial in 2001, Jane Andrews was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
After serving 14 years, in June 2015, the former aide of Sarah Ferguson was released from prison. Jane now lives a quiet life out of the spotlight, working for a charity-funded animal hospital.
Where was The Lady filmed?
The four-part ITV1 series was filmed in Grimsby and London. Back in April 2025 Gayton Road, off Hampstead High Street, was closed for filming. Keep your eyes peeled to see if you can spot it.
Where can I watch The Lady?
The Lady will premiere on Sunday 22 February at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
A big fan of comedy, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm and W1A are guaranteed to have Nick Fiaca chuckling. He also loves a good detective drama with California PI Jim Rockford from the iconic The Rockford Files topping his list of favourite sleuths. He also boldly dips into the Star Trek universe when he feels like a new enterprise, and loves a good history series.