Six part series: Photo: Joan Llado.

Six part series: Photo: Joan Llado. | Joan Llado

Jason Moore18/09/2023 15:24
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Sophie Turner, of Game of Thrones fame, plays the role of real-life character Joan Hannington, a figure known as "the Godmother" by certain aspects of the British criminal underworld, in a series which is being partly filmed on the island. The ITV series, Joan, will show Hannington's journey from housewife and mother, to petty offender, to diamond thief and criminal mastermind in 1980s London.

The six-part series was announced in November 2022 with Sophie Turner leading the cast as Joan Hannington. It has been created by Anna Symon, who is adapting from Hannington's 2004 memoir I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain's Most Notorious Jewel Thief.

Filming has been taking place at a number of locations on the island over recent days. Filming for the series began in May 2023 in Herne Bay, Kent. Filming also took place that month in Birmingham, England. Filming also took place in August 2023 in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

Joan Hannington was born into a big family, she faced a tough start in life, leaving school at just 13 without any qualifications. At 17, she married her first husband, Ray Pavey, who happened to be a convicted armed robber ten years her senior. The challenges only grew when Pavey ended up behind bars, leaving Joan with their daughter, Debbie.

Her life took a dramatic turn when she began working in sales, landing a job at an upscale jewellery store in London’s West End. One fateful day, she was sent to the store’s safe, away from the watchful eyes of CCTV cameras, to collect loose diamonds. Instead of following orders, she pocketed diamonds worth a staggering £800,000 by swallowing them whole, later selling them through underground channels.