Her equally public death eventually led to the introduction of diminished responsibility as a legal defence and set the UK on the path to ending capital punishment.
Based on Carol Ann Lee’s biography A Fine Day for Hanging: The Real Ruth Ellis Story and adapted by Kelly Jones, the mini-series chronicles Ruth’s story from shooting David Blakely to the moments before her death.
“So with our dual timeline approach Kelly has beautifully portrayed the nuance of Ruth’s story, the light and the shade.”
Set in 1955 in the glamorous and intoxicating world of London clubland, Ruth found huge acclaim as the capital’s youngest club manager at the age of 28.
But her success soon unravelled as she became involved in an abusive relationship with racing driver David Blakely.
As her trial for murder unfolds, flashbacks to her past reveal her rise to success and the relationships which defined her before an the eleventh-hour attempt to save her.
Who is in the cast of A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story?
Lucy Boynton stars as Ruth Ellis. (Photo: Des Willie/Silverprint Pictures/ITV Studios)
Speaking about the role, she said: “The case itself is shocking, but she’s such an interesting character to be at the centre of it.
“And her colourful character against the backdrop of WW2 and then the 50s was just fascinating.”
On television, she has had leading roles in Gypsy, The Politician, The Ipcress File and Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
Laurie Davidson
Laurie Davidson plays racing driver David Blakely (Photo Des Willie/ Silverprint Pictures/ITV Studios)Discussing his character, he said: “It’s quite interesting that David was partof the social upper-class and yet he was still interested in Ruth.
“But he was a man of contradictions and then when alcohol comes into play it’s a disaster.
“I think he was an immature person and they just had a really toxic relationship.”
He also starred as Mr. Mistoffelees in the film-version of the musical Cats.
Toby Jones takes on the role of solicitor John Bickford (Photo: Des Willie/Silverprint Pictures/ITV Studios)
The actor said: “He was the solicitor that Ruth Ellis first went to when she was charged with the murder of David Blakely.
“He wrestled with this and he tried to get her to use the domestic violence that she’d suffered as a mitigating factor but she wouldn’t do that until it was too late.”
He is the voice of Dobby in the Harry Potter films, played Truman Capote in Infamous and Claudius Templesmith in the Hunger Games movies.
Nigel Havers
Nigel Havers plays Justice Havers in the series (Photo: Des Willie/Silverprint Pictures/ITV Studios)Nigel Havers plays his own grandfather Sir Cecil Havers, who was the judge in Ruth’s murder trial.
On television, he has also starred in Nicholas Nickleby, Don’t Wait Up, The Charmer, Dangerfield, Coronation Street and The Gentlemen.
The cast of A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story also includes:
Mark Stanley as Desmond Cussen (Trigger Point, The Reckoning) Toby Stephens as Melford Stevenson QC (Die Another Day, Lost in Space) Arthur Darvill is Victor Mishcon (Broadchurch, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) Joe Armstrong as DCI Leslie Davis (Gentleman Jack, The Bay) Juliet Stevenson as Dr Charity Taylor (Bend It Like Beckham, Truly, Madly, Deeply) Bessie Carter as Carole Findlater (Bridgerton, I Hate Suzie) Ed Sayer as Anthony Findlater (The Crown, Pennyworth) Audrey Brisson as Jacqueline Dyer (Outlander, Halo) Amanda Drew as Bertha (The Gold, The Outlaws) Jack Staddon as Clive Gunnell (Harlots, House of the Dragon) Adam Lawrence as DI Peter Gill (Doctors, Peaky Blinders) Tony Wadham as Arthur Neilson (The Bill, Peep Show)Crews used the exact location where Ruth shot David Blakely, outside The Magdala Tavern at Hampstead Heath, to recreate the scene for the series.
Dorset also played a part in the filming for the show, with the former men’s prison in Dorchester used for the interior shots of Ruth in her cell.
Filming for the series took place in London, Kent and Dorset (Photo: Des Willie/Silverprint Pictures/ITV Studios)The show was filmed in the autumn of 2023 (Photo: Des Willie/Silverprint Pictures/ITV Studios)When is A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story on and how many episodes are there?
A four-part series , the remaining episodes will be aired on successive Wednesdays at the same time.
The entire series can also be streamed on ITVX.
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