The series will follow Maitlis’s journey as a Newsnight journalist, leading up to her interview with Prince Andrew.

By Katelyn Mensah

Published: Wednesday, 22 November 2023 at 11:55 AM


Emily Maitlis has admitted she felt “terrified” watching the filming of A Very Royal Scandal, which sees Ruth Wilson (The Woman in the Wall) portray the journalist.

The casting for the Amazon Prime Video series was recently announced, with Michael Sheen (Good Omens) starring as Prince Andrew and Wilson helming the cast.

Further cast includes Joanna Scanlan (After Love) as Amanda Thirsk, Alex Jennings (This Is Going to Hurt) as Sir Edward Young and Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) as Stewart Maclean.

The three-part drama will explore Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview, and Emily Maitlis has shared what it was like having her story told on screen.

“I felt terrified, obviously. Some of the scenes are quite poignant,” Maitlis explained on The News Agents podcast.

She continued: “You suddenly remember you’re dealing with people’s lives again, and it is kind of weird thing. I don’t mean to be all po-faced, but it is a bit weird like that. But an amazing cast.”

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When asked how it feels to be played by Ruth Wilson, who often plays troubled characters, Maitlis joked: “I normally see her sort of clutching her wrists and pulling at her jumpers with her hair coming out in clumps and a very glassy dazed look as she hits the bottle. Yeah, no, I think that could work.”

According to the synopsis (via Variety), the series will follow “Emily Maitlis’s professional and personal journey as a Newsnight journalist, leading up to her acclaimed interview with Prince Andrew”.

BAFTA-nominated Julian Jarrold will direct A Very Royal Scandal, with Maitlis serving as one of the executive producers.