Many people will be wondering if Joan is based on a true story after seeing Joan Hannington's journey to become a notorious jewel thief

The new six-part ITV drama Joan is inspired by the memoir of the real-life Joan Hannington, who labelled herself "Britain's most notorious diamond thief". Sophie Turner plays Joan in the new drama and spent time with the real Hannington before the cameras started rolling, having read her memoir several times to get into character.

ITV will air its new drama Joan this week - here's the true story behind Sophie Turner's character Joan Hannington

Joan, which stars Game Of Thrones Sophie Turner, is an ITV drama series based on the real-life story of Joan Hannington, The Godmother in the criminal underworld of 1980s London

For all its Eighties tunes, wigs and diamonds, ITV’s new drama about jewel thief Joan Hannington is middle-of-the-road, unable to move its anti-heroine beyond ‘victim’ and ‘girl boss’ templates

Actor Sophie Turner makes her return to the small screen with quite a meaty role in Joan. The British drama is about a jewellery thief, who was so prolific that she became known as "the Godmother" in Britain's criminal underworld.

The Game of Thrones actress isn’t playing the victim any more. She talks motherhood, misogyny and why stepping into the shoes of a diamond-swallowing crime boss proved irresistible

Synopsis. Sophie Turner (Games of Thrones) plays criminal mastermind Joan in this 6-part drama for ITVX, based on the real-life exploits of the UK’s most successful