Major ITV drama with Hollywood star cancelled after just one series

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Hollywood actress Sophie Turner starred in the title role of Joan for ITV but despite high ratings, it has been cancelled by the broadcaster after just one series.
ITV's hit drama Joan has been axed after just one series.
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The gritty true crime drama featured former Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner in the leading role of accomplished jewel thief Joan Hannington, a single mother who has turned to a life of crime to provide for her daughter, and drew in four million viewers for the broadcaster.
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Despite its success, it has now been confirmed that no more episodes will be produced thanks to an scheduling issues with its leading star.
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A spokesperson said: "ITV and Snowed-In Productions would love to produce another series of Joan. However, as a consequence of cast availability and following co-production discussions it has meant a second series wasn't possible.' Prior to this announcement, Richard Laxton previously claimed that there was 'definitely potential' for the series to continue, although things have now changed. There had been attempts to bring Joan's story to the screen before, with A-listers Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow both having been tied to projects that never came to fruition.
Sophie, who divorced former Disney Channel star Joe Jonas last year after five years of marriage and is now dating Peregrine Pearson, will soon be seen in the upcoming thriller Trust and has also been filming the leading role in the Amazon Prime series Steal It's also thought that she will be taking on the role of video game heroine Lara Croft in a Tomb Raider TV series, nearly 25 years after Angelina Jolie first brought the part to the big screen.
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After an extensive promotional campaign, ITV finally aired the much-anticipated first episode of Joan in September last year and told the story over a period of six episodes. In the first instalment, viewers met Joan juggling motherhood to her daughter Kelly, boogieing to Bucks Fizz in the kitchen, and strutting off to work at a local club.
But tensions soared when she returned home to find her husband Gary (Nick Blood) missing. He reappeared with daylight, and dropped a bombshell about his need to vanish due to dangerous pursuits. The stakes were raised to heart-stopping heights when Joan stared down the barrel of a gun, held by thugs in her own home. The reality hit hard, and she resolves to ditch Gary, entrusting her daughter to foster care while she scrambles for their next move.
At the time, the actress explained how she had found herself drawn to the project, stating: "There was so much about the show that appealed. First of all, it was a story about a real woman. Joan had an obscene appetite for adventure and doing new things. I was drawn as well to the way she could compartmentalise her life."
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Turner also had the opportunity to meet the real-life Joan Hannington, describing their encounter as deeply emotional. "The moment Joan walked in, she burst into tears. We hadn't even said anything. She just said, 'It's perfect.' I think Frank [Dillane] cried, too. It was just a very, very emotional meeting. I learned such a lot from her. I learnt about her bravado, the way she owned the room as she walked into it it was like she had the world wrapped around her little finger."
When the programme finally made it to air, it drew millions of viewers and won praise from fans across social media, with one writing: "I hope this production and all the actors and actresses inside, win some awards, they did such a good job. Even more impressive and touching when you remember that everything you're seeing really happened. It's very gripping. A second viewer said: "This drama is fabulous, loving the story and the 80's vibe."
Another viewer was spot on board, tweeting: "I'm loving the 80's music on this programme tonight. Capturing the nostalgia, another chimed in: "Joan. Omg it's taking me right back to the 80s my era. I love it. Music. Clothes. Sony Walkman headphones... smokin' in clubs." (sic)
A fifth viewer was also impressed with the nostalgiac setting of the programme, adding: "So far a show set in 1985 has had Making Your Mind Up on the radio and Tainted Love in a club (both 1981). The soundtrack approach seems to be 'any 80s tunes will do'."