Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Entertainment
Surena Chande

A Very British Scandal first look as Claire Foy stars in new BBC drama

The first look at the BBC's new drama A Very British Scandal is here and reveals Clare Foy's transformation into Margaret Campbell.

It is a follow-up to A Very English Scandal, which was released in 2018 and starred Hugh Grant.

But A Very British Scandal is set to tell a very different story - focusing on one of the most sensational British divorce trials.

READ MORE - Sir Trevor McDonald confirms TV return

We have all the details about the plot of A Very British Scandal, along with when you can watch it and who else is joining The Crown's Claire Foy in the cast, below.

How many episodes of A Very British Scandal will there be?

The first season of A Very British Scandal will have three episodes and each episode will be 60 minutes long, though a second season has not yet been confirmed.

It comes as a follow-up season to A Very English Scandal, which starred No Time To Die's Ben Whishaw and The Crown's Alex Jennings.

Hugh Grant starred as disgraced Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe, in a critically acclaimed portrayal.

Although inspired by similar scandal to that series, A Very British Scandal will tell a completely different story.

A Very English Scandal was a self-contained, one-off series, though - and it seems likely A Very British Scandal will be the same, so fans hoping to see a second series might have to lower their expectations.

A Very British Scandal release date

Currently, an official release date for A Very British Scandal has not yet been announced, but the BBC says it is "coming soon" to BBC One and BBC iPlayer across the UK.

The series will be available in 2022 on Prime Video in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Who is in the cast of BBC's new drama A Very British Scandal?

Claire Foy plays the lead role of Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, and she has previously played young Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown.

Joining her in the cast of A Very British Scandal is WandaVision's Paul Bettany, who plays Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll.

In a statement surrounding his casting in the show, he said: "I’m delighted to be working with the remarkable Claire Foy to tell the fascinating and scandalous story of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll and their very complicated lives."

Gavin & Stacey's Julia Davis will play Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.

Also cast in the series is Amanda Drew, Richard McCabe, Richard Goulding, Phoebe Nicholls, Camilla Rutherford, Timothy Renouf, Sophia Myles, Sophie Ward, Tim Steed, and Katherine Manners.

What is the plot of A Very British Scandal?

A Very British Scandal tells the story of the infamous divorce trial of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll.

The divorce was prompted by the Duke after he found nude Polaroids of his wife in a cupboard, with one showing her having sex with another man.

It was her signature three-string pearl necklace that gave away her identity in the photos.

A media frenzy followed, with sexist headlines aimed towards the Duchess.

The divorce battle lasted for three years and the identity of the man pictured in the Polaroids was never revealed by Margaret Campbell.

She was later labelled as a "completely promiscuous woman" by the presiding judge, Lord Wheatley.

The BBC adaptation of the story is predicted to have a different take on the story, with a focus on the fact that her husband Ian Campbell released her nude Polaroids.

He also released letters and diaries that were stolen from the Duchess.

Sarah Phelps said of the series: "Writing the story of Margaret’s life and the events leading up to and including her divorce from the Duke has been a passion project of mine since 1993, when I first heard her name and started learning about her.

"I felt very strongly that she’d been punished for being a woman, for being visible, for refusing to back down, 'be a good girl and go quietly'. This drama is my tribute to her."

Sign up for our newsletters.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.