Channel 4 promoted its forthcoming TV musical based on the Duke of York’s life with a mobile billboard outside the branch of a pizza chain restaurant that Andrew referred to in his Newsnight interview. The van carrying the slogan “If you miss it, you’d better have a decent alibi” – a reference to his disastrous interview with Emily Maitlis – appeared outside Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey, on Thursday morning.
Prince Andrew: The Musical, starring Kieran Hodgson, features a cast of comics and drag queens and is described as a “satirical send-up” set to seven original musical numbers. The Queen’s second son stepped down from public life in November 2019 amid the fallout from the BBC interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in August that year.
The duke denied claims that he had sex with Virginia Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein on three separate occasions, including when she was 17 – still a minor under US law. Ms Giuffre said one alleged encounter began with the duke sweating heavily as they danced at London nightclub Tramp.
But Andrew told Maitlis he had a medical condition at the time which meant he did not sweat, and that he had no recollection of ever meeting Ms Giuffre. He also insisted he spent the day taking one of his daughters to the Pizza Express in Woking for a party.
Andrew later settled his US sexual assault case out of court, although the agreement was not an admission of guilt from the duke and he has always strenuously denied the allegations against him. In the hour-long TV musical, Maitlis will be played by actress and comedian Emma Sidi, known for Starstruck and Stath Lets Flats. Munya Chawawa, Harry Enfield and Joe Wilkinson also feature.
Prince Andrew: The Musical launches on Thursday night at 9pm on Channel 4 and will then be available to stream on All 4.
