Amazon Prime on Tuesday released new first-look images from the upcoming drama A Very Royal Scandal and announced when it will drop on the streaming service.
The dramatisation, which aims to retell the story of Prince Andrew’s “car crash” interview, stars Michael Sheen as the Duke of York and Ruth Wilson as journalist Emily Maitlis.
The three-part series will premiere on September 19 exclusively on Prime Video in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
It comes just five months after rival streaming platform Netflix’s version launched on April 5.
New footage from this week shows the actors recreating the famous BBC interview that made television history when Prince Andrew spoke about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and claimed he was not worried.
Amazon Prime on Tuesday released new first-look images from the upcoming drama A Very Royal Scandal and announced when it will drop on the streaming service.
The dramatisation, which aims to retell the story of Prince Andrew’s “car crash” interview, stars Michael Sheen (left) as the Duke of York; Prince Andrew is seen, right.
Michael is pictured with the Duke of York’s white hair, while Ruth looks almost unrecognisable in a blonde wig.
The upcoming Amazon MGM Studios series will put a much larger focus on Emily Maitlis, who serves as executive producer, while Netflix’s Scoop focused on Prince Andrew.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the series will “follow Emily Maitlis’ professional and personal journey as a Newsnight journalist, leading to her critically acclaimed interview with Prince Andrew.”
A press release added: ‘A Very Royal Scandal follows Maitlis and Prince Andrew in the run-up to the interview, the ground-breaking event itself and the many questions left in its wake that would change their lives forever.’
In the first episode, Prince Andrew attempts to declare his innocence while finding himself at the centre of an international scandal as Newsnight presenter Emily goes to great lengths to secure an interview with him.
The second instalment features the interview, but the meeting takes several twists that neither Emily nor the Newsnight team could have expected.
Finally, in the third episode, Prince Andrew must face the consequences for himself, his family and the royal firm while Emily considers her reputation and the future of her career.
Alongside Sheen and Wilson, the series will star Joanna Scanlan as Amanda Thirsk, Alex Jennings as Sir Edward Young, Éanna Hardwicke as Stewart Maclean and Claire Rushbrook as Sarah Ferguson.
Ruth Wilson (left) will play journalist Emily Maitlis (right)
The actress (pictured in May) looks almost unrecognizable in a blonde wig.
Michael is pictured with the Duke of York’s white hair in the new images (seen in March 2024)
The three-part series will premiere on September 19 exclusively on Prime Video in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
New footage from this week shows the actors recreating the famous BBC interview that made television history when Prince Andrew spoke about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and claimed he didn’t break a sweat.
The upcoming Amazon MGM Studios series will put a much larger focus on Emily Maitlis, who serves as executive producer, while Netflix’s Scoop focused on Prince Andrew.
Emily told Deadline: “I think it’s probably been given too much importance, it’s been given too much importance. This[the Amazon series]is going to be a very different beast. I’m sure there’s room for both” (pictured at the 2024 Variety Club Showbusiness Awards).
Speaking about the rivalry between Netflix and Amazon projects, Maitlis, 53, said DeadlineI think it’s probably been overdone, it’s been overhyped. This (the Amazon series) is going to be a very different beast. I’m sure there’s room for both.
The former BBC presenter added that she left the team behind Scoop “to do their thing because I think the last thing they want is me snooping around.”
‘It says it’s based on a fictional story, so I think it goes to different places and does different things (than the Amazon series).’
Netflix issued a disclaimer at the beginning of Scoop that read: ‘This film is based on true events; however, certain elements have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.’
Netflix’s Scoop was based on a book of the same name by Sam McAlister and follows a BBC producer, played by Billie Piper, as she struggles to get an interview with Prince Andrew, played by Rufus Sewell, in Buckingham Palace.
Gillian Anderson plays Emily Maitlis as she deliberately interrogates the Duke.
Netflix’s Scoop was based on a book of the same name by Sam McAlister and follows a BBC producer, played by Billie Piper, as she struggles to secure an interview with Prince Andrew, played by Rufus Sewell, at Buckingham Palace (Rufus as Prince Andrew pictured).
Gillian Anderson plays Emily Maitlis as she deliberately interrogates the Duke (pictured in Scoop)
