'Joan' Writer Anna Symon Takes Us Inside the ITV & CW Drama
"Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" takes on new meaning in the upcoming ITV and CW drama Joan. Sophie Turner stars in the co-production that will begin airing on CW in October 2024, starring as Joan Hannington, a 1980s-ra mother-turned-jewel thief. The series starts when Joan is in her 20s, attempting to care for her six-year-old daughter and survive an abusive marriage with a violent criminal. When her husband disappears, Joan turns to a life of crime to carve out the best life for herself and her daughter.
The series is based on the memoir of the real Joan Hannington, I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain's Most Notorious Jewel Thief. Hannington was known as "The Godmother" of the London underground crime scene during the 1980s before turning her life around. The real Hannington never served prison time for her jewel thieving, though she does have a few misdemeanors on her record.
Joan will illustrate how Hannington found her way into a life of crime and how quickly she adapted to conning jewelry store owners and England's upper crust to live a life of luxury. However, the story isn't for the faint of heart. Joan will also explore Hannington's years of abuse and how that led her into a life of crime.
