A Very British Scandal FIRST LOOK: Claire Foy and Paul Bettany play the Duke and Duchess of Argyll in new period drama documenting their sensational divorce

  • The Argyll's high-profile divorce featured salacious accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, secret recordings and bribery
  • The show will be made by the team behind the BBC's A Very English Scandal, which starred Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw 
  • Foy previously played the young Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of the Netflix series The Crown, which won her an Emmy Award
  • Also joining the cast are Amanda Drew, Richard McCabe, Phoebe Nicholls, Camilla Rutherford, Timothy Renouf, Sophia Myles and Sophie Ward
  • The series will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and be available on Amazon Prime Video in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand

The BBC has shared a first look at Claire Foy and Paul Bettany in A Very British Scandal.

The pair will play the Duke and Duchess of Argyll in the drama series about the couple's high-profile divorce in the 1960s.

Foy will play Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, who was famed for her charisma, beauty and style, and who dominated the front pages as a divorce featuring accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, secret recording, bribery and an explicit polaroid picture all played out.

New roles: The BBC has shared a first look at Claire Foy and Paul Bettany as the Duke and Duchess of Argyll  in forthcoming drama A Very British Scandal

New roles: The BBC has shared a first look at Claire Foy and Paul Bettany as the Duke and Duchess of Argyll  in forthcoming drama A Very British Scandal 

The real deal: The Duke and Duchess of Argyll's 1963 divorce featured accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, secret recordings, bribery and an explicit polaroid picture (the couple are pictured in 1951, shortly before their engagement)

The real deal: The Duke and Duchess of Argyll's 1963 divorce featured accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, secret recordings, bribery and an explicit polaroid picture (the couple are pictured in 1951, shortly before their engagement)

A Very British Scandal will explore the social and political climate of post-war Britain and look at attitudes towards women to ask whether institutional misogyny was widespread at the time.

As her contemporaries, the press, and the judiciary sought to vilify her, Margaret kept her head held high with bravery and resilience, refusing to go quietly as she was betrayed by her friends and publicly shamed by a society that revelled in her fall from grace. 

The show will be made by the team behind the BBC's A Very English Scandal, which starred Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw as politician Jeremy Thorpe and his lover Norman Scott.

The first images from the drama show Foy in an autumnal setting while sporting a classic red lip and finger-wave hairstyle, and wearing a black winter coat with thick fur trim along with a hat, gloves and tartan scarf.

Glamorous: Foy is seen in an autumnal setting while sporting a classic red lip and finger-wave hairstyle, and wearing a black winter coat with thick fur trim along with a hat, gloves and tartan scarf

Glamorous: Foy is seen in an autumnal setting while sporting a classic red lip and finger-wave hairstyle, and wearing a black winter coat with thick fur trim along with a hat, gloves and tartan scarf

High spirits: Another shows the decadent lifestyle of the character as the actress can be seen at a lavish event laughing while holding a coupe glass, wearing a sparkly evening dress

High spirits: Another shows the decadent lifestyle of the character as the actress can be seen at a lavish event laughing while holding a coupe glass, wearing a sparkly evening dress

Authentic: Claire Foy in action as the Duchess of Argyll...
... and the real life Duchess with her husband at a German embassy reception in London's Tate Gallery

Authentic: Claire Foy in action as the Duchess of Argyll (L) and the real life Duchess with her husband at a German embassy reception in London's Tate Gallery (R)

I do: The Duke and Duchess of Argyll following their wedding at Caxton Hall in London on the 23rd March, 1951

I do: The Duke and Duchess of Argyll following their wedding at Caxton Hall in London on the 23rd March, 1951

The good life: Bettany and Foy are pictured cruising in a lavish speedboat in another still from the forthcoming series

The good life: Bettany and Foy are pictured cruising in a lavish speedboat in another still from the forthcoming series 

Another shows the decadent lifestyle of the character as the actress can be seen at a lavish event laughing while holding a coupe glass, wearing a sparkly evening dress, pearl necklace and white gloves.

Foy is also seen in court in a crisp grey suit with a matching hat and her signature pearl necklace.

The 37-year-old actress previously played the young Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of the Netflix series The Crown, which won her the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series in 2018.

Stylish: Foy is also seen in court in a crisp grey suit with a matching hat and her signature pearl necklace

Stylish: Foy is also seen in court in a crisp grey suit with a matching hat and her signature pearl necklace

Success: The show will be made by the team behind the BBC's A Very English Scandal, which starred Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw as politician Jeremy Thorpe and his lover Norman Scott

Success: The show will be made by the team behind the BBC's A Very English Scandal, which starred Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw as politician Jeremy Thorpe and his lover Norman Scott

Topical: The new show will explore the social and political climate of post-war Britain and look at attitudes towards women to ask whether institutional misogyny was widespread at the time

Topical: The new show will explore the social and political climate of post-war Britain and look at attitudes towards women to ask whether institutional misogyny was widespread at the time

She is joined by Bettany, who starred as Vision in WandaVision and Avengers: Infinity War, who will play her husband Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll, while Gavin & Stacey star Julia Davis will portray Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.

Also joining the cast are Amanda Drew, Richard McCabe, Phoebe Nicholls, Camilla Rutherford, Timothy Renouf, Sophia Myles, Sophie Ward and Tim Steed.

Katherine Manners, Richard Goulding, Jonathan Aris, Oliver Chris, Nicholas Rowe and Miles Jupp will also star.

The three-part series will be written by Sarah Phelps, who previously wrote The Pale Horse, And Then There Were None and Dublin Murders, and directed by Norwegian filmmaker Anne Sewitsky.

The series will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and be available on Amazon Prime Video in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Old times: The Duke and Duchess of Argyll at Palace Theatre during happier times

Old times: The Duke and Duchess of Argyll at Palace Theatre during happier times 

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