The story of Joan Hannington is so spectacular, it’s hard to believe that it’s never been shown on screen before.
In the 1980s, Hannington made a name for herself as one of the UK’s most notorious diamond thieves, stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds’ worth of bling in a criminal career that spanned decades. Now, her story is finally being told for the first time, with Sophie Turner assuming the role of the glamorous Joan.
It’s set to be ITV’s big autumn release, and hype for the show has been steadily building for months. Here’s all you need to know about the cast.
Sophie Turner as Joan Hannington
Joan is the protagonist of the show. A deeply scarred woman in her twenties, she flees an abusive relationship with her daughter Kelly and starts a new life in London. While there, she discovers that she has a knack for stealing diamonds – and soon becomes one of the UK’s most notorious diamond thieves.
Sophie Turner is best known for playing Sansa Stark in the Game of Thrones series. Born in February 1996, she began filming Game of Thrones at age 14 and had a tutor on-set for the rest of her time filming. “The subject matter [on Game of Thrones] was so heavy that I just developed a coping mechanism of just having the most fun in between takes, so I wouldn’t get traumatized,” she later told Jessica Chastain in an interview for The Cut.
She’s also played Jean Grey in the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse, and appeared in the 2022 dark comedy Do Revenge. Until September 2023, she was also married to Joe Jonas.
Frank Dillane as Boisie Hannington
Boisie eventually becomes Joan’s husband – but at the start of the show, he’s a London antiques dealer who soon spots that Joan is offering him an unprecedented opportunity.
Dillane is a British actor best known for playing Nick Clark on TV show Fear the Walking Dead (which ended in 2018; he later asked for his character to be killed so he could “pursue other projects”). He also appeared as the 16-year-old Tom Riddle in the 2009 film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Mia Millichamp-Long as Kelly
Kelly is Joan’s six-year-old daughter. Trapped with Joan in her abusive relationship with Gary, the pair flee and Joan attempts to set up a new life for them both.
This is Mia Millichamp-Long’s first-ever acting role, though she also appeared in a John Lewis advert in 2022 with her family.
Kirsty J. Curtis as Nancy
Kelly is Joan’s long-suffering sister. She runs a hair salon, but soon enough Joan comes bounding back into her life and her ordered life becomes chaotic once more.
Born in Dartford in 1987, Curtis is best known for her work in 2017 series Harlots, as well as playing Keeley Wainwright in EastEnders.
Gershwyn Eustache Jr. as Albie
Albie is an old friend of Boisie’s, who’s made a new life for himself in Spain – but the past comes knocking.
Actor and producer Eustache, who plays him, has made a career starring in films and TV shows from across the UK and US. Recently, he’s appeared in I May Destroy You and Andor – but he also has a role lined up in upcoming Channel 4 drama Get Millie Black.
Laura Aikman as Val
Val is Albie’s wife. Aikman, who plays her, was born in London in 1985 and is the daughter of writer Stuart Aikman. Over the years, she’s appeared in several TV shows, including Casualty, Waterloo Road and the 2019 Christmas special of Gavin and Stacey. She also appeared as the wife of Cary Grant, Dyan, in 2023 ITV series Archie.
Alex Blake as Bernard
Bernard is the owner of the jewel store where Joan starts her career – and he’s willing to abuse his power to get what he wants from her.
Born in Sheffield, Blake trained at LAMDA. He appeared as Stephen Lamport, the private secretary to the Prince of Wales, in the last two seasons of The Crown; his credits also include the Golden Globe nominee Chernobyl and the Disney+ 2022 series Andor.
