ITV teams with The Crown producer for drama about Duchess of York's former aide convicted of murder

The new series will be based on true events and Andrews's story, but will also be partly fictionalised, being written by Debbie O’Malley (Payback, Harlots) and directed by Lee Haven Jones (Passenger).

According to the official synopsis: "The Lady charts the rise and fall of former royal dresser Jane Andrews, whose rags to riches fairy tale fell apart when she was convicted of murder.

"Once a young working-class girl from Grimsby, Jane answered an advertisement in the magazine The Lady and to the astonishment of her friends and family, became the Duchess of York’s dresser at Buckingham Palace."

It continues: "Moving amongst the highest social circles in Britain, Jane managed to secure a place in the upper-classes, only to lose her job with the Duchess after nine years of service.

"Still reeling from her fall from grace, Jane went on to meet charismatic businessman Thomas Cressman and fell deeply in love. Soon cracks began to develop in the romance Jane had pinned all her hopes on, with disastrous consequences."

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Andrews worked as a dresser and aide to Sarah, Duchess of York (most often referred to as Fergie) at Buckingham Palace, but lost her job in 1997. In 2001, Andrews was found guilty of the murder of her boyfriend Thomas Cressman and sentenced to life imprisonment.

On the news of the series, senior ITV drama commissioner, Helen Ziegler, said: "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 be working with the Left Bank team to bring this complex exploration of class, celebrity, ambition and identity to ITV and ITVX."

Writer Debbie O’Malley also 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 20 years ago."

Left Bank Pictures are of course also behind this upcoming project, known for producing not just The Crown but also Insomnia, Quiz and Behind Her Eyes to name a few.

Sian McWilliams, creative director at Left Bank Pictures, also said: "Bold and complex storytelling is at the heart of what we do at Left Bank Pictures. Debbie’s beautifully nuanced scripts deftly explore the tragic series of events that led to the murder of Thomas Cressman and pose the question – who is the real Jane Andrews?"

As of now, a release date for The Lady is yet to be confirmed but we do know that the drama – which will be set in both Grimsby and London – will kick off filming in early 2025. Casting announcements are also set to be made in due course.

The Lady will air on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK.

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