ITV was last night accused of ‘cruel abuse’ over plans to screen a drama about killer Jane Andrews, the Duchess of York’s former aide.
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 are 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, 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.
ITV was accused of ‘cruel abuse’ over its plans to screen a drama about a killer aide of the Duchess of York (pictured)
Rick Cressman (pictured), whose brother Thomas was beaten with a cricket bat by Jane Andrews, says his family are in despair over the plans
He has contacted his MP about his concerns, and hopes to meet the Justice Secretary ‘as soon as possible’.
Some film-makers, he added, had been scrupulous in listening to the family – and including their recollections of Thomas, but others appear simply to have gone through the motions, including one who interviewed Rick’s son David.
‘David was there, with my brother Tommy, for the final week of his life, with Jane Andrews, in the south of France. He even went out to Nice airport with them before they flew back to England.’
Within 36 hours of their return, Thomas, 39, was dead. ‘David must have done about two hours of interview. Every single word was left on the cutting-room floor.’
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’.
Andrews, now 57, was sentenced to life imprisonment; she was released in 2015.
Andrews, now 57, was sentenced to life imprisonment and was released in 2015
Thomas Cressman. While some filmmakers were scrupulous in listening to the familly, ncluding their recollections of Thomas, others appear simply to have gone through the motions
Basia Briggs, a friend of Prince Michael of Kent, told the Daily Mail: ‘I am appalled, as it’s inappropriate to use this dreadful tragedy for people’s entertainment.’ Andrews stayed at Mrs Briggs’ home in Chelsea, west London, during her Old Bailey trial, at her lawyer’s request.
The drama is due to be filmed in Grimsby and London. It will chart the rise and fall of Andrews, who landed the royal role after answering an advert in The Lady magazine.
Left Bank producer Sian McWilliams said: ‘The Lady deftly explores the tragic series of events and poses the question – who is the real Jane Andrews?’
ITV did not respond to requests for comment.
