David Farnor | On 25, Nov 2023

Newsnight’s notorious interview with Prince Andrew is getting a second screen treatment, with a new Amazon series starring Michael Sheen and Ruth Wilson.

The 2019 interview, which led to the fall from grace of Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite son, has already inspired one TV adaptation, with Netflix commissioning Scoop earlier this year, starring Rufus Sewell and Gillian Anderson as Prince Andrew and Newsnight journalist Emily Maitlis – along with Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard) as Amanda Thirsk, former Private Secretary to Prince Andrew, and Billie Piper (I Hate Suzie) as Sam McAlister, who negotiated and secured the bombshell booking.

Now, Variety reports that Amazon is booting up its own retelling of the interview, with Michael Sheen once again stepping into the shoes of a real life person as Prince Andrew and Ruth Wilson (The Affair) playing Emily Maitlis. The three-part series will follow Emily’s personal and professional journey, leading up to her interview with Andrew.

The series, titled, A Very Royal Scandal, follows on from Amazon’s A Very English Scandal, starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw, and A Very British Scandal, starring Claire Foy and Paul Bettany. It’s written by Jeremy Brock, with Julian Jarrold at the helm.

Sheen is no stranger to Amazon, having starred in Good Omens. The rest of the cast includes Joanna Scanlan (After Love) as Amanda Thirsk, another Amazon veteran Alex Jennings (Your Christmas or Mine?) as Sir Edward Young, and Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) as Stewart Maclean.

Production is underway in the UK.

Add to Watchlist