Royal Dresser's Murder Case Revisited in New ITV Drama 'The Lady'
When Jane Andrews, former personal assistant to Sarah Ferguson, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 for the murder of her boyfriend Tom Cressman, the case captivated global media attention. Now, twenty-five years later, a new television miniseries titled The Lady revisits this dramatic true story, chronicling Andrews' journey from royal dresser to convicted murderer.
From Palace Dreams to Prison Reality
The four-part ITV drama, written by Debbie O'Malley, stars Mia McKenna-Bruce as Jane Andrews and Ed Speleers as Tom Cressman. Natalie Dormer portrays Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York whom Andrews served as dresser and assistant for nine years until 1997.
McKenna-Bruce, the 28-year-old actress known for How To Have Sex, describes being immediately fascinated by Andrews' complex story. "When we first meet Jane, she's full of hope," McKenna-Bruce explains. "She has this idealised vision of escaping the life she has and going to live in a palace. As a young girl, I had dreams like that too, that fairytale idea. So all of that feels very familiar."
A Working-Class Woman in High Society
Andrews, who grew up in a working-class Lincolnshire family, managed to secure a position within Sarah Ferguson's inner circle, carving out a place for herself in elite society. The series depicts how her career eventually unraveled and her personal relationships collapsed, leading to the violent events of September 2000 when she killed Cressman, first striking him with a cricket bat before stabbing him to death after he refused to marry her.
McKenna-Bruce reveals the technical challenges of portraying Andrews: "We had to do a lot of accent work, because Jane's accent changes, and both accents are quite different from my own. I also needed to create a timeline before we started, just so I knew exactly where we were jumping in and out."
Researching the Real People Behind the Drama
Ed Speleers, who plays victim Tom Cressman, conducted extensive research for his role, speaking with Cressman's brother and friends. "I had the opportunity to speak with some of Thomas's friends, as well as his brother," explains the 37-year-old Sussex-born actor. "Of course, I approached that with some trepidation, but he was incredibly warm and open. The sensitivity around the story has been handled brilliantly by everyone involved."
Speleers continues: "What those conversations allowed was a better sense of how the family felt and how they perceived the events. I think that perspective has been expertly woven into the script. It was crucial to focus on our story, particularly Tommy's perspective and the dynamics at play."
On-Screen Chemistry and Collaborative Spirit
Both actors speak highly of their working relationship, with Speleers crediting McKenna-Bruce for helping him approach his craft differently. "I'm normally someone who's quite focused and tends to stay in one headspace while I'm working," he says. "But Mia, in particular, really freed me up. Through her positivity, her energy, and her ability to step into something like it's the only thing that matters, she created this sense of freedom."
McKenna-Bruce adds: "We were really able to just spar with each other in the moments when we needed to. Because we didn't know each other beforehand, those times in the green room waiting to do our scenes were really just about getting to know one another. We'd play music, play chess, eat chocolate, just hang out. Getting to work with Ed and everyone on the job really was magic."
Exploring Complex Relationship Dynamics
Both actors believe Andrews and Cressman genuinely loved each other despite the tragic outcome. McKenna-Bruce explains: "In our story, from those very first rehearsals, I felt, at least for Jane, that she genuinely did love him. As soon as she met Tommy, she opened up to him in a way she hadn't really opened up to anyone before. I think, in the beginning, he really saw her."
Speleers adds his perspective: "What I really took from what we were trying to create, in our version of Tommy and Jane, is that he did want it to work. He really did. Jane was so different from anything he'd ever experienced before, and I think there was genuine excitement in that. There was a kind of sparring between them, not just between us as actors, but within the characters themselves."
A Special Creative Experience
Reflecting on the production, McKenna-Bruce describes it as "one of the most special experiences I've ever had, purely because of the people I got to work with." She continues: "I genuinely feel that I was only able to reach the places I did because of the environment that was created for me by everyone involved. I'm just very proud of it. It was an honour to be trusted with the role."
The timing of the drama's release coincides with renewed controversy surrounding Sarah Ferguson, following revelations about her association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, The Lady focuses specifically on the Andrews case, which originally made headlines in 2001 when Andrews received a life sentence for Cressman's murder.
The Lady will premiere on ITV and ITVX on Sunday, February 22, offering viewers a dramatic retelling of one of Britain's most notorious true crime stories involving the royal household.
