Joan: release date, cast, plot, first look and everything we know about Sophie Turner's jewel thief drama

Joan on ITVX and ITV1 stars Sophie Turner as a master criminal Joan Hannington, here alongside Frank Dillane as Boisie.
Joan on ITVX and ITV1 stars Sophie Turner as a master criminal Joan Hannington, here alongside Frank Dillane as Boisie. (Image credit: ITV)

Joan is set in the brash and aspirational world of 1980s London and stars Game of Thrones actor Sophie Turner as notorious real-life jewel thief Joan Hannington.

The six-part drama Joan is coming to ITV’s free streaming service ITVX, is from writer Anna Symon (Mrs Wilson) and helmed by award winning director Richard Laxton (The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe). It's based on Joan’s memoirs detailing her extraordinary life from petty offender to criminal mastermind. 

"I’m so excited to be bringing Joan Hannington’s fascinating life story to screen in Joan," says Sophie Turner. "She’s one of the most notorious figures in the criminal underworld of London, earning her the nickname The Godmother. A woman who goes between her thriving and daring career as a jewel thief, all whilst trying to get her daughter back from social services, we see a mother in despair swept up in the exhilarating world of crime."

So here’s everything you need to know about Joan on ITVX and ITV1… 

Joan release date

Joan is a six-part series set to premiere on ITVX, ITV’s free streaming service, before arriving on ITV1 a few months later. Filming started in London in Spring 2023 (see the first look picture above) so we don’t expect to see the drama until the end of 2023 or 2024. We will also update on a US release date and channel.

What is the plot of Joan on ITVX?

Joan begins with Joan in her twenties in a disastrous marriage to a violent man Gary. When Gary goes on the run, she seizes the moment to leave her old life along with her four-year-old daughter, Debbie. Inspired by her desire to care for Debbie and create a secure home for her daughter, Joan makes some heart-breaking decisions as she sets her sights on a better life. Making full use of her sharp intelligence, charm, and her talent for impersonation and performance, we follow the twists and turns in Joan’s life, the ups and downs, the heartache and the joy.

Adopting new identities and making new acquaintances along the way, Joan becomes a masterful jewel thief. She embarks on a thrilling, high-stakes journey that challenges her every limit, driven by her desire to care for her daughter and create a secure home for them both.

Joan cast — Sophie Turner as Joan Hannington

In Joan, Sophie Turner plays petty criminal-turned-jewel thief Joan Hannington in the series. She made her acting debut as Sansa Stark in the epic fantasy series Game of Thrones and has gone on to star in X-Men Apocalypse and the HBO Max and Sky series The Staircase.

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones.

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones. (Image credit: HBO)

Who else is starring in Joan?

Other stars of Joan include Frank Dillane (The Essex Serpent) as London antiques dealer Boisie, Kirsty J Curtis (Harlots), who plays Joan's older sister and salon worker Nancy while Gershwyn Eustache Jnr (I May Destroy You, Top Boy) is playing Albie, an old acquaintance of Boisie who’s made a new life in Spain with his wife Val, played by Laura Aikman (The Split, Gavin & Stacey).

Also joining the series are Nick Blood (Safe), Jack Greenlees (Strike), Alex Blake (The Crown), Caroline Faber (Grantchester) and Dorothy Atkinson (The Gold, Stonehouse).

Frank Dillane as Luke Garrett in The Essex Serpent.

Frank Dillane as Luke Garrett in The Essex Serpent. (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Is there a trailer for Joan?

We're a long way off from having a trailer released for Joan, so we'll just have to wait. We'll post the trailer right here when it arrives.

What else do we know about Joan on ITVX?

Joan writer Anna Symon met with criminal mastermind Joan Hannington several times while penning the screenplay, so we expect it to be pretty true to Joan’s real life experiences.

"From penniless single parent to accomplished diamond thief, Joan Hannington’s life story is a thrilling, rags-to-riches rollercoaster,’ says Anna, who has also adapted The Essex Serpent and Deep Water

"I couldn’t be more excited to watch the stellar talent Sophie Turner step into Joan's shoes. Ever since I first read Joan’s explosive memoir, I have been desperate to bring her story to screen."

In addition to Anna Symon, Helen Black writes episode four. The series is helmed by BAFTA award-winning director Richard Laxton (Rain Dogs, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, Mrs Wilson) and produced with The CW Network, USA in association with All3Media International.  Joan is executive produced by Ruth Kenley-Letts (Stonehouse, The Midwich Cuckoos, Strike), CEO of Snowed-In Productions, Jenny Van Der Lande (Strike, You Don’t Know Me, Too Close) Creative Director of Snowed-In, Neil Blair (The Midwich Cuckoos, Strike, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) Chairman of Snowed-In and Richard Laxton. Paul Frift (Anansi Boys, Deep State, Good Omens) is the producer. Joan was commissioned for ITVX by ITV's Head of Drama Polly Hill.

 

Nicholas Cannon
TV Content Director on TV Times, What's On TV and TV & Satellite Week

I'm a huge fan of television so I really have found the perfect job, as I've been writing about TV shows, films and interviewing major television, film and sports stars for over 25 years. I'm currently TV Content Director on What's On TV, TV Times, TV and Satellite Week magazines plus Whattowatch.com. I previously worked on Woman and Woman's Own in the 1990s. Outside of work I swim every morning, support Charlton Athletic football club and get nostalgic about TV shows Cagney & Lacey, I Claudius, Dallas and Tenko. I'm totally on top of everything good coming up too.