The new ITV drama A Cruel Story: The Ruth Ellis Story delves into the tale of the last woman hanged in Britain. Set against the backdrop of 1955’s swanky London club scene, Ruth Ellis becomes a sensation as the youngest nightclub manager in the city.
Lucy Boynton stars as Ruth Ellis, who embarks on an ill-fated affair with racing driver David Blakely, played by Laurie Davidson. Their relationship turns violently sour, resulting in his death and her subsequent arrest and conviction for murder.
On July 13, 1955, at 9:01 am, Ruth Ellis, aged 28, was executed by hanging. Filmed throughout Britain in 2023, A Cruel Story incorporates numerous historical sites pivotal to the real story of Ruth Ellis.
Where did the filming take place for A Cruel Story: The Ruth Ellis Story?
The filming took place across various UK locations, including London, Kent, and Dorset, throughout the later months of 2023. Impactful scenes were captured in October 2023 at Hampstead’s Magdala pub, which shut its doors for three days to accommodate the production.
Additional London shoot spots comprised the Old Bailey’s corridors and the former magistrates’ court where Ellis made her initial court appearance.
Lucy Boynton commented on the experience of filming where history was made: “The days I filmed in court were very intense because for legal reasons obviously, and for accuracy, all dialogue is verbatim from the court transcripts.
“So we got a totally vivid experience of what that trial was like. How frustrating it was to sit through the misinformation and misrepresentation of Ruth’s experience.
“Because Blakely was a member of the upper class it was deemed inappropriate to talk about his ugly behaviour, so none of the physical and emotional abuse he inflicted was mentioned, and therefore the case was entirely imbalanced and Ruth misrepresented.”
In October 2023, Dorchester Prison in Dorset served as the backdrop for the ITV drama. The ‘B Wing Hanging Shed’ was completely closed off for filming, with one cell designated as ‘Ruth’s cell’.
Filming also took place at the entrance to The Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent, which stood in for the entrance to Holloway Prison.
A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story is based on Carol Ann Lee’s acclaimed biography A Fine Day for Hanging: The Real Ruth Ellis Story. It has been adapted by Kelly Jones (The Long Call, Des, Baptiste) and produced by Silverprint Pictures, known for their work on Shetland, Vera, and Flesh and Blood.
Kelly Jones penned all four scripts, while Angie Daniell (World On Fire, Vigil, The Long Call) serves as the series producer. Lee Haven Jones (Passenger, Feast, The Long Call) directs all four episodes.
A Cruel Love The Ruth Ellis Story debuts at 9pm on Wednesday, March 5 on ITV1 and ITVX. All episodes will be available on ITVX.