ITV’s newest crime drama Joan follows Sophie Turner within the sneakers of the real-life determine Joan Hannington, referred to as “the godmother” of the British underworld. The miniseries revolves round Hannington’s street from being an abused mom to a hardened thief, sitting proper on the prime tier of the British felony underworld. Joan covers the journey of the controversial real-life jewel thief by way of Eighties London, permitting Turner to painting the numerous sides of her character. If the present sounds thrilling, all credit score goes to the adventures of the titular real-life individual Joan presents in all her glory.

Sophie Turner Plays a Real-Life Person in ‘Joan’

Based on Hannington’s 2004 memoir, I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain’s Most Notorious Jewel Thief, the sequence picks up with Joan’s (Turner) story simply earlier than she leaves her abusive and felony companion and places her younger daughter in foster care across the early Eighties. In Episode 1, Turner’s titular character leaves her sister’s place and takes up a job at an area jewellery store, the place she learns the methods of the jewellery commerce. The first episode of the ITV crime drama offers the viewers perception into Hannington’s trademark means of nicking diamonds by swallowing them.

Soon after her first haul, Joan meets her to-be-husband and partner-in-crime, Ronald Thomas Hannington, who additionally goes by the title Benny Boisie (Frank Dillane). As established by Joan’s first episode, Joan’s encounter with Boisie paves the best way to a lifetime of crime and daring — one thing Joan wholeheartedly appears to be having fun with. At the identical time, Joan should additionally play her half as a caring mom to her little one, whom she should get again from foster care.

Who Is the Real Joan Hannington?

Born in 1957, Joan Hannington was one in all six youngsters in a working-class Irish family. According to People, Joan Hannington ran away from her house on the age of 13, as a result of alleged bodily abuse by her father. The New York Post experiences that Hannington’s father, Richard O’Leary, was a former boxing promoter. Later, Hannington married convicted armed robber Ray Pavey on the age of 17. In the sequence, Ray is changed by the character Gary (Nick Blood). The present additionally sees a reputation change for Hannington’s daughter Debbie, who is called Kelly within the sequence. According to The Sun, Hannington turned the sufferer of one other abusive relationship with Pavey, who as soon as threw ammonia into Hannington’s face, inflicting a squint in her proper eye. On one other event, Ray allegedly threw Hannington out of a shifting automotive. Soon, Hannington walked out of the connection and Debbie was put into foster care. Hannington then lied her means right into a job at a jeweler in London’s West End. In an interview with The Sun, Hannington stated, “I was determined to get Debbie back but I needed money and a place to live.”

Although the present modifications the circumstances of Hannington’s first diamond haul for dramatic impact, the remainder of the thievery happens as depicted within the sequence. On discovering a protected open behind the store the place CCTV cameras weren’t put in, Hannington could not hand over on the chance to get her fingers on some unfastened stones, which might change her fortune. With some fast pondering, Hannington determined to swallow the gems. In her very first try, Hannington swallowed stones value virtually £800,000 (by way of The Sun). Once the gems handed by way of her system, Hannington retrieved them and sterilized the stones to be later saved and offered. Unlike what the present suggests, Hannington didn’t stroll out of her job on the jeweler instantly. She continued to work on the store for just a few months earlier than she stop and met Benny Boisie, a high-class thief and vintage supplier 17 years her senior. Apart from being Hannington’s lover, Boisie additionally proved to be her mentor, educating Hannington the varied methods of his commerce, together with examine and credit score fraud.

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The sequence costars Frank Dillane and tells the story of real-life jewel thief Joan Hannington.

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How Did Joan Hannington Steal Diamonds?

Boisie and Hannington’s partnership proved to be an ideal match made in heaven. The couple ran a multi-million greenback felony empire, dealing in counterfeit checks and pretend antiques, by way of People. Hannington’s love for diamonds and treasured stones continued over the course of her affiliation with Boisie. Covered in costly fur coats, Hannington would arrive at high-end jewellery shops in a employed high-end automotive. In the garb of eager to genuinely buy jewellery, Hannington​​​​​​​ Hanningtonexamine and memorize her favorites from the gathering. Later, she would return with a pretend copy of the piece of bijou she could be eyeing to switch. Once prepared to drag her last transfer, Hannington would swallow the unique ring and shortly hand over the pretend piece again to the gross sales assistant, with out anyone catching a whiff of what Hannington had simply achieved. Finally, Hannington would go away the by making a deposit utilizing both a stolen bank card or a pretend banker’s examine, based on The Sun.

Boisie and Hannington ‘s exploits allowed for a lavish life-style full of costly automobiles, fur coats, flights, and stays at unique resorts. According to Hannington, she possessed 11 fur coats and a couple of,000 pairs of sneakers at one level. In 1987, Hannington and Boisie welcomed a son, Benjamin Hannington, who additionally seems in Episode 1 of Joan because the bartender attending to Boisie and Joan. However, Hannington did face her justifiable share of challenges following her felony life. At the age of 24, Hannington was arrested in 1980 for utilizing a stolen checkbook and was sentenced to 30 months in jail. Hannington had been arrested as soon as earlier than for stealing a automotive to see her daughter in foster care — an occasion captured in Joan. The final tragedy occurred when Boisie died in an unintended explosion in 1990 whereas attempting to set hearth to a warehouse as a part of an insurance coverage fraud.

Where Is Joan Hannington Now?

Boisie’s unlucky dying uncovered Hannington to the results of chasing a felony life. After evading successful put up by one in all Boisie’s former associates and being robbed of £1 million by a boyfriend, Hannington determined it was time to set her life straight and go away behind the life that introduced her the nickname “the godmother.” According to People, Hannington lives on the south coast of England together with her two canines and is grandmother to her son Benny’s daughter. Benny Jr. is a rapper who goes by the title Benny Banks. Unfortunately, Hannington wasn’t capable of get custody of her daughter Debbie from social companies. 68-year-old Joan Hannington has been retired from swallowing jewels for 40 years now and claims to be a personal individual.

Cosmopolitan experiences that the real-life Joan has served as an advisor on the present to make sure that the ITV sequence stays true to her life story. Hannington labored carefully with screenwriter Anna Symon, who tailored the sequence from Joan’s memoir. Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner is well-positioned to painting the larger-than-life character in all her glamour. Notably, Joan balances the adventurous nature of Hannington’s crimes together with her persistent battle to satisfy her duties as a mom. In any case, Joan is poised to be this season’s crime drama to be careful for.

New episodes of Joan will drop on The CW each Wednesday within the U.S.

A girl who goes between her thriving and daring profession as a jewel thief, all while attempting to get her daughter again from social companies, we see a mom in despair swept up within the exhilarating world of crime.

Release Date

October 2, 2024

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Anna Symon , Richard Laxton

Watch on The CW