How Joan Hannington’s True Story Fuels The CW’s Joan

The CW has added a gritty new crime drama featuring Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner to its Fall line-up.

The limited series Joan is being called a diamond in the rough for its thrilling storyline, iconic 80s fashion, and music.

We’re only two episodes into a six-episode season, and so far, the show is captivating. This is especially true given that the series is based on the real-life story of British jewel thief Joan Hannington.

The British ITV series has received little marketing promotion here in the states.

Aside from some brief attention, it was given in its pre-production days due to the highly publicized divorce of its leading lady, Sophie Turner.

The series flew under the radar of many until its October debut. But it appears to be gaining traction because who doesn’t love a good story about a jewel thief with Turner in the lead role?

While most dramas created for entertainment tend to embellish, this series sticks to the facts. Using Joan’s memoir as its source material, the show follows Hannington’s account.

Who Is Joan Hannington?

The titular character is a real-life British jewel thief and mastermind who loves diamonds. Born in the late 1950s, Hannington comes from a large family with an abusive patriarch.

While consulting on the ITV series, the real-life Joan was firm about her childhood being an integral part of the series so that viewers could see why she traveled down the path she did.

In Hannington’s memoir, I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britian’s Most Notorious Jewel Thief, she discusses leaving home early in her teens to escape abuse.

From there, she meets her first husband, Ray Pavey, who is also abusive and a criminal! We meet his character briefly on The CW series.

Sadly, history repeats itself, and Joan is left to fend for herself after her husband goes on the run, leaving her and their daughter behind. Turner brings this part of the story to life with her believable performance, which some have called “career-defining.”

Joan gives her over to the system with her daughter sent into foster care.

It’s a sad story, and it’s hard not to root for this young mother who finds herself living a life of crime due to a desperate attempt to get her daughter Debbie back.

From Petty Thief To Career Criminal

The CW’s Joan adaptation picks up the storyline here and is surprisingly racy and raw for the network.

We meet Joan at a very low point as she is threatened and smacked around by the men who are after her husband.

A scared single mother living alone in a flat with her daughter, Joan starts writing bad checks to survive, landing herself in jail. Whether you’ve read Hannington’s memoir or are following the show, this pivotal part of the story draws you in.

How does one go from writing bad checks to what happens next?

Following her release, she gets a job at a London jewelry store and begins stealing.

Joan Ups Her Stealing Game

Sounding more like a work of fiction than reality, Hannington details in her book how she once swallowed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of diamonds while unsupervised from a vault at her work.

And yes, we see this on The CW’s Joan, episode 2 of the series! It’s surreal watching Turner swallow the little jewels!

After leaving for the day, Joan waited for the diamonds to exit her system. After, she hid them away.

It isn’t long before Joan leaves her job at a London jewelry store and partners with her future husband, Boisie Hannington. Boise is an antique dealer and professional thief who shows Joan the ropes.

The two fell in love, welcomed a son, and worked together to amass their fortune while living double lives.

The Godmother

Joan acquired the nickname The Godmother. It seems diamonds were Joan’s weakness, as the jewel thief took on another job at a jewelry store, where she once again began stealing diamonds by swallowing them.

At one point, Joan also stole diamond bracelets and swapped them out with fakes. It’s baffling that the jewelry store never caught on!

Eventually, Joan and Boisie became millionaires and lived a lavish lifestyle. They enjoyed expensive furs and clothing before Boisie’s unexpected death.

In a recent interview, Joan admits she does not know the amount of money the couple stole, but it is somewhere in the millions.

Joan Goes On The Straight & Narrow

Joan decided to stop stealing and go on the straight and narrow after her husband Boisie set fire to a building with the hopes of collecting the money in an insurance scheme.

The building blew up, and Boisie was killed unexpectedly in the explosion. The incident forced Joan to leave her life of crime behind.

How much of the show will delve into Joan’s present-day life is unclear. I, for one, hope we will see Joan ride off into the sunset on the series as she lives the rest of her life in peace. I’m a sucker for an anti-hero!

The real Joan Hannington is now 67 years old and lives a quiet life in England on the coast with her dogs. She is close to her son but never regained custody of her daughter.

Surprisingly, Joan Hannington has never been arrested or charged with crimes concerning her heists!

Are you watching The CW’s Joan? Let us know what you think. Is this one of Sophie Turner’s best performances?

Watch Joan Online