GEORGE V MAGAZINE
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It’s official — it’s cold, it’s dark, it’s gray, and snuggling season is in full swing. In the coming period, you can find us hibernating under the covers, with a cup of something warm in one hand and the remote control in the other. If you’re curious about the best programming autumn has to offer on TV, add the new ITV series ‘Joan’ starring Sophie Turner to your list now. As we all prepare for the fall return of the “mob wives” style aesthetic this year, here’s everything we know about the show.
What is the series “Joan” about?
“Joan” is inspired by the true story of real-life jewel robber Joan Hannington, who became a prominent jewel robber in London in the 1980s.
The series synopsis on IMDB reads: “A woman who balances her successful and daring career as a jewel thief while trying to rescue her daughter from social services. We show a mother in despair who is drawn into the exciting world of crime.”
According to ITV, Sophie’s version of Joan is “a fiery and relentless woman in her twenties, deeply wounded and vulnerable. She is a devoted mother to her six-year-old daughter, Kelly, but is trapped in a disastrous marriage to a violent criminal named Gary.”
What Really Happened to Joan Hannington?
If you have already watched the entire series of “Joan,” you must have some questions. Namely, what really happened to Joan Hannington? And how true is the series actually?
Hannington was a real-life, famous criminal who lived in London in the 80s and was even nicknamed “The Godmother.” Born in London in 1957, Joan left home at the age of 13 and eventually married gunslinger Rhea Pavey (who becomes Gary in the series). After becoming pregnant at 17, Hannington left the abusive Pavey and placed her daughter in his care. She soon met Benny Bossie, an older man who introduced her to the world of crime. The couple married when she was 24 years old. Hannington ended up in prison for 30 months after being found guilty of using a stolen checkbook.
After serving her sentence, Hannington began working in a jewelry store. There she continued her criminal activities, swallowing approximately 20 diamond rings and exchanging numerous diamond bracelets for fake ones. “The best bank in the world is your stomach. The best safety deposit box ever invented,” she later wrote in her memoirs. She and Bossie stole several million pounds worth of diamonds and were soon living a life of luxury, surrounded by expensive cars, clothes and travel.
“Marriage to Benny was supposedly the talk of the ’80s,” Hannington told The Sun in a recent interview. “Fast cars, fast lifestyle, Michael Jackson at the top of the charts, “Dallas” and “Dynasty” on TV. I loved the glamor of that period.”
She continued: “We had a home that was like a palace for anyone who came. Bossie skillfully decorated each room with Victorian and Edwardian furniture, art deco and art nouveau styles. Our flat only cost £27,110 from the council and we had around £1 million worth of furniture inside. We never had a safe or an alarm or even a panic button — just bars on all the doors, locks on the windows and loads of guns hidden around the flat.”
In 1987, the couple had a son, Benny. Bossie died in a fire in 1990 after his plan to burn down their warehouse for an insurance payout went awry.
Where is Joan Hannington now?
After Bossie’s death, Hannington decided to put her life of crime behind her. She began to deal with the renovation of social housing. “Money has never brought me satisfaction,” she said. “I decided to turn to honest work. I had more than enough money to last me a lifetime.”
She published the memoir “I Am What I Am” in the early 2000s. Hannington now lives on the South Coast with her two dogs. Her son Benny is now a rapper and Hannington is a grandmother.
Is there a trailer for Joan?
Of course! Judging by the trailer, this series is going to be a real stylized delight.
What did Sophie Turner say about the role in the series “Joan”?
Sophie was filming “Joan” when her breakup with Joe Jonas became public, and opened up in an interview with British Vogue about “dealing with feelings” after the breakup while playing the role.
“I’m not very good at processing my emotions,” she said. “I close them in myself, and then over time they appear in the form of depression or anxiety. With this role, I was actually able to process those feelings.”
She added that the crew and actors of the series “Joan” were very supportive of her at that time, while the media analyzed the breakup and criticized her as a mother. “They were my emotional support, my family,” she said. “I really don’t know what I would do without them.”
Joan Torres is the first cousin of Jorge Jimenez Neubauer Torres V.
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