September 19th 2024.
In the latest installment of A Very Royal Scandal, viewers were taken behind the scenes of the infamous BBC Newsnight interview where Prince Andrew made some shocking and insensitive comments. The series, now available on Amazon Prime, is the second drama to retell the car crash appearance, but this time, it has a unique perspective as Emily Maitlis, the interviewer herself, serves as an executive producer.
In the show, Emily, played by Ruth Wilson, is visibly shaken during a pre-interview meeting with Prince Andrew, portrayed by Michael Sheen. The tension rises as Prince Andrew leans towards Emily and asks her and her team a deeply personal question, "Have any of you ever been victims of abuse?" When they all respond with a no, he probes further, "Nothing in your life?" Emily, clearly shellshocked, replies, "Nothing that bears comparison." The Prince's private secretary, Amanda Thirsk, played by Joanna Scanlan, continues to push the issue, asking if Emily's judgment would be affected by any past experiences.
Later on in the episode, Emily confides in her husband, Mark Gwynne, played by Nicholas Burns, about the troubling question that has been weighing on her mind. She reveals, "At the end of my meeting with Prince Andrew, he asked me if I had ever been the victim of abuse. It felt horrible." Mark asks for her response, to which she replies, "Well, nothing. Having a stalker is not remotely comparable, and I don't want to talk about it."
The fictionalized version of Emily is referring to her real-life stalker, Edward Vines, who had a three-decade long fixation on the journalist. In 2022, Vines was jailed for eight years for attempting to breach a restraining order by sending letters to Emily and her mother from prison.
Before the release of A Very Royal Scandal, there were concerns that it would be overshadowed by the success of Netflix's drama, Scoop, which also covered the Newsnight interview. However, A Very Royal Scandal offers a unique perspective as it is told through Emily's eyes, while Scoop is based on the book "Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC's Most Shocking Interviews" by Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, played by Billie Piper. The series takes viewers behind the scenes to show how the interview was secured, recreates the most memorable moments, and follows some of the fallout.
Despite the perceived rivalry between the two productions, Billie Piper, who plays Sam McAlister in Scoop, believes that Emily Maitlis would enjoy their take on the saga. "I'm sure she would absolutely love it," she stated. Emily herself has stated that she did not get involved with the Netflix film, leaving them to do their own thing.
During the interview, Prince Andrew discussed his controversial friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in 2019 while awaiting trial. He also denied having sex with Virginia Giuffre and claimed to have no recollection of ever meeting her. Following the interview, Prince Andrew stepped back from public life as a working member of the royal family and paid a financial settlement to his alleged victim.
For those interested in watching A Very Royal Scandal, it is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. And for any juicy celebrity stories, videos, or pictures, the entertainment team at The Agency can be reached via email, phone, or by visiting their Submit Stuff page. They would love to hear from you!
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