A Very English Scandal is a 2018 British three-part historical drama created and written by Russell T Davies, based on John Preston's 2016 book of the same name. It is a dramatisation of the 1976–1979 Thorpe affair and 18 years of events leading up to it.
The producers followed up A Very English Scandal in 2021 with the series A Very British Scandal, about the Argyll divorce case.[https://deadline.com/2021/03/claire-foy-paul-bettany-a-very-english-scandal-season-2-bbc-amazon-1234712068/ Claire Foy & Paul Bettany To Headline Second Season Of ‘A Very English Scandal’ For BBC/Amazon On November 20, 2023, it was announced Blueprint would produce a third Scandal series, A Very Royal Scandal, based on the infamous Prince Andrew interview with Emily Maitlis.
Plot summary
In 1965, Jeremy Thorpe, a Liberal MP, faces blackmail from his unstable ex-lover, Norman Josiffe, whom he met in 1961. After years of a tumultuous relationship, Thorpe grows tired of Norman and severs ties with him. Norman, unable to keep a job and with a penchant for drama, threatens to expose their homosexual affair. Thorpe's fellow MP, Peter Bessell, silences Norman with money, but Thorpe refuses to help him get a new National Insurance card.
By 1968, Thorpe becomes the youngest-ever Liberal Party leader, marries Caroline Allpass, and has a baby. Norman, now known as Norman Scott, is increasingly erratic and contacts Caroline, revealing his past with Thorpe, which shocks her. Caroline dies in a car crash in 1970, and Thorpe is devastated. Meanwhile, Bessell flees to the United States to avoid financial troubles.
Norman continues his attempts to get a new National Insurance card and to expose Thorpe. Thorpe, now married to Marion Stein, considers having Norman killed. In 1973, an attempt to silence Norman fails when Andrew Newton kills Norman’s dog instead. Norman reports the crime, and Thorpe’s involvement is suspected.
The resulting 1976–79 Thorpe affair sees Thorpe resign as Leader of the Liberal Party and lose his seat at the 1979 UK general election. Thorpe and his co-conspirators are tried for attempted murder, but they are acquitted. Thorpe's political career ends, and he never holds public office again. He remains married to Marion until her death on 6 March 2014, and he dies about nine months later on 4 December during the same year. Bessell dies in 1985, and Norman, still without a National Insurance card, lives with 11 dogs.
Cast and characters
Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpe Ben Whishaw as Norman Josiffe/Norman Scott Alex Jennings as Peter Bessell Patricia Hodge as Ursula Thorpe Monica Dolan as Marion Thorpe Paul Hilton as David Holmes Jonathan Hyde as David Napley Eve Myles as Gwen Parry-Jones David Bamber as Arthur Gore, 8th Earl of Arran Jason Watkins as Emlyn Hooson Blake Harrison as Andrew Newton Michelle Fox as Lyn Adrian Scarborough as George Carman Michele Dotrice as Edna Friendship Alice Orr-Ewing as Caroline Allpass Michael Culkin as Reggie Maudling Susan Wooldridge as Fiona Gore, Countess of Arran Anthony O'Donnell as Leo Abse Naomi Battrick as Diana Stainton Dyfan Dwyfor as George Deakin Daryl McCormack as Luke MacKenzie
Episodes
Production Development The first series was written by Russell T Davies and directed by Stephen Frears, with Hugh Grant starring as Thorpe and Ben Whishaw as Scott. The BBC television drama was first announced on 4 May 2017, with Grant already cast as Thorpe. Ben Whishaw was announced to join the cast in August, and the rest of the cast was announced in October. Along with the further casting announcement, Amazon took the US rights for the show.
Filming Filming took place in London, Manchester, Buckinghamshire, Devon, Hertfordshire and South Wales. Although scenes were filmed outside the Houses of Parliament, the inner courts, interior hallways and staircase were represented by Manchester Town Hall, which is built in the same Gothic Revival style as the Palace of Westminster. The offices of Thorpe and other MPs were created at Bulstrode Park, a vacant country house in Buckinghamshire. The grounds of Bulstrode were also used for the night-time assassination attempt scene set on Exmoor.
The town of Hertford was used as a stand-in for 1970s Barnstaple, while Saunton Sands in North Devon stood in for the California beach where Peter Bessell (Alex Jennings) lives in a seaside shack. Bridgend in South Wales stood in for Dublin, while Norman's period living in Wales was filmed in and around Monknash in south Wales. The show was able to film in the lobby and exterior of the Old Bailey in London, where the show's climactic scenes take place. A Very English Scandal was the first production ever to be granted permission to film in Court One of the Old Bailey but they had to decline because of tight time restrictions and filmed the court scenes at a courthouse in Kingston upon Thames.
Release The series premiered on BBC One on 20 May 2018 and on Amazon Prime on 29 June 2018. The DVD was released on 2 July 2018.
Critical reception A Very English Scandal received very positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 97% based on 68 reviews, with an average rating of 8.80/10. Rotten Tomatoes's critical consensus reads, "Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw impress in A Very English Scandal, an equally absorbing and appalling look at British politics and society". Metacritic gives the miniseries a weighted average rating of 84 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". In 2019, the series was ranked 76th on The Guardian'''s list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.
Norman Scott spoke out about the show's characterisation of him and its portrayal of his life. He told the Irish News'' that "Artistic licence is fine but this isn't my story. And there's nothing funny about someone trying to kill you...I'm portrayed as this poor, mincing, little gay person ... I also come across as a weakling and I've never been a weakling".
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref. British Society of Cinematographers Best Cinematography in a Television Drama Danny Cohen Operators Award – Television Drama Iain MacKay PinkNews Awards Drama Rose d'Or Limited Series and TV Movie Banff World Media Festival Best Limited Series (Rockie Award) British Academy Cymru Awards Best Writer Russell T Davies British Academy Television Awards Best Mini-Series Russell T Davies, Stephen Frears, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, and Dan Winch Best Leading Actor Hugh Grant Best Supporting Actor Ben Whishaw Best Supporting Actress Monica Dolan British Academy Television Craft Awards Best Director – Fiction Stephen Frears Best Writer – Fiction Russell T Davies Best Costume Design Suzanne Cave Best Editing – Fiction Pia Di Ciaula Best Make Up and Hair Design Daniel Phillips Best Original Music Murray Gold Best Production Design Helen Scott Best Sound – Fiction Sound Team Broadcast Awards Best Drama Series or Serial Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Single Drama/Mini-Series Best Actor Hugh Grant Ben Whishaw Best Writer Russell T Davies Canadian Cinema Editors Awards Best Editing in Television Movie or Mini-Series Pia Di Ciaula Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Limited Series Best Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series Hugh Grant Best Supporting Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series Ben Whishaw Dorian Awards LGBTQ TV Show of the Year TV Performance of the Year — Actor Hugh Grant Ben Whishaw GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series Golden Globe Awards Best Limited Series or Television Film Best Actor – Limited Series or Television Film Hugh Grant Best Supporting Actor – Series, Limited Series or Television Film Ben Whishaw Golden Nymph Awards Outstanding Long Fiction Program Outstanding Actor in a Long Fiction Program Hugh Grant Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Limited Series Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Limited Series Ben Whishaw Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Limited Series Best Costume Design in a Non-Series Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Hugh Grant Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Ben Whishaw Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special Stephen Frears Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special Russell T Davies Royal Television Society Awards Best Mini-Series Best Actor – Male Ben Whishaw Best Writer – Drama Russell T Davies Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards Best Director – Drama Stephen Frears Best Editing – Drama Pia Di Ciaula Best Make Up Design – Drama Daniel Phillips Best Music – Original Score Murray Gold Satellite Awards Best Miniseries Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Hugh Grant Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Ben Whishaw Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Hugh Grant South Bank Sky Arts Awards TV Drama Television and Radio Industries Club Awards Best Drama Programme USC Scripter Awards Television Russell T Davies; Based on the book by John Preston Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards Best Short Form TV Drama Russell T Davies
References
External links