The Lady FIRST LOOK: Natalie Dormer transforms into Sarah Ferguson as she joins Mia McKenna-Bruce in filming new ITV drama about the rise and fall of killer royal dresser Jane Andrews

Natalie Dormer transformed into Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York as she got stuck into filming scenes for new ITV drama, The Lady, in London on Wednesday.

Dressed in a bold red skirt suit and donning a red wig, the Game Of Thrones actress, 43, was joined by co-star Mia McKenna-Bruce, 27, who portrays the role of disgraced royal aide Jane Andrews.

Jane Andrews was the former royal dresser for the Duchess of York who was jailed in 2001 for murdering her lover. 

Andrews, now 57, beat her wealthy partner Tom Cressman, 39, in bed and stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife at their flat in Fulham, West London, in 2000.

From the makers behind The Crown, Left Bank Pictures, The Lady will document the rise and fall of Jane, whose rags to riches fairytale fell apart when she was convicted of murder. 

And in new images, Natalie and Mia perfectly channeled Sarah and Jane in matching red suits and flame-haired wigs as they shot dramatic scenes for the upcoming four-part crime drama.

The pair are seen escorted by burly guards through a sea of press as they made the way to their car in scenes depicting the huge furore surrounding the Duchess at the time.

The partly fictionalised drama will also feature Outlanders star Ed Speleers as Jane’s murdered boyfriend Thomas Cressman.

While the supporting cast will also include Philip Glenister, Claire Skinner, Laura Aikman, Ophelia Lovibond, Mark Stanley, Daniel Ryan and Sean Teale.

The Lady is written by Debbie O’Malley while Lee Haven Jones – who’s recent work includes A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story – will direct. 

The official synopsis for the series reads: ‘Once a young working-class girl from Grimsby, Jane answered an advertisement in the magazine The Lady and to the astonishment of her friends and family, became the Duchess of York’s dresser at Buckingham Palace.

‘Moving amongst the highest social circles in Britain, Jane managed to secure a place in the upper-classes, only to lose her job with the Duchess after nine years of service.

‘Still reeling from her fall from grace, Jane went on to meet charismatic businessman Thomas Cressman and fell deeply in love. Soon cracks began to develop in the romance Jane had pinned all her hopes on, with disastrous consequences.’

Jane became firm friends with Fergie after beginning her role at Buckingham Palace in 1988 – the same year she met former stockbroker Thomas through a mutual acquaintance. 

Writer Debbie, who also serves as an executive producer, gave a further insight on the story based on real life events. 

She shared: ‘When Jane Andrews was tried for the murder of Thomas Cressman in 2001 it made headlines around the world. 

‘But behind those headlines, lay a much more complex, painful and thought-provoking story – an exploration of female ambition and human frailty and a devastating chain of events that ended in the taking of a man’s life.

‘And this story, tied up with our national preoccupation with class and our ongoing obsession with the Royal family, feels every bit as relevant now as it did twenty years ago.’ 

Back in December last year, ITV was accused of ‘cruel abuse’ over plans to screen the drama about killer Jane. 

Rick Cressman, whose brother Thomas was beaten with a cricket bat by Andrews as he slept before she stabbed him in the chest in 2000, says his family were approaching Christmas in a mood of despair after learning of the plans.

‘I got one week’s notice,’ Mr Cressman, 73, told the Daily Mail at the time, saying that this was ‘the ninth or tenth production’ about his brother’s fatal relationship with Andrews, who worked as a dresser for Fergie.

‘It feels that Tommy can never rest in peace,’ he said, adding that previous programmes were documentaries purporting to portray the truth.

‘It’s a very cruel thing that ITV have commissioned a drama about it,’ he said. ‘It gives [the film-makers] licence to say or do anything they like – true or not. It’s an abuse of my family. My mother’s now 97.’

There is also a much younger generation to consider. 

‘We have grandchildren now, of nine and ten,’ he said. ‘They’ll be exposed to it at school.’

Hotelier Mr Cressman claims that the four-part dramatisation, entitled The Lady, is an ‘out-and-out attempt to profiteer’ from the death of his brother, who was murdered by Andrews at their home in Fulham, west London, after he refused to marry her.

He has contacted his MP about his concerns, and hopes to meet the Justice Secretary ‘as soon as possible’. 

That programme, adds Mr Cressman, was also for ITV, which has commissioned Left Bank Pictures to make The Lady next year.

Left Bank Pictures is the company which produced The Crown – compelling drama which played fast and loose with the truth. 

Understandably, it doesn’t fill Mr Cressman with confidence. But he hopes that Left Bank will consult him and other members of the family, and also heed the words of Jim Dickie, who headed the police investigation.

After Andrews had repeatedly lied in court, Mr Dickie said: ‘She murdered him in real life, and then attempted to murder him in death by trying to ruin his reputation’. 

Meanwhile Jane has turned to a quiet life caring for sick animals after murdering her lover with a cricket bat. 

Jane was initially released from jail in 2015 but was sent back to prison in July 2018 over allegations she was harassing a married man. 

After being released again in 2019, Andrews now works for a charity-funded animal hospital, the Mirror first reported in February. 

Photos show her in a blue uniform and lanyard walking a small dog – looking almost unrecognisable more than 20 years after working as a royal aide. 

One local said: ‘You’d never guess she’d been a key part of royal life.’ 

Meanwhile, Mr Cressman’s brother Rick said his killer has been able to get on with her life while his family must carry the grief forever. 

‘I can never be sympathetic,’ Rick told the Mirror at the time.