BBC spy drama with James Norton dubbed “the story that shocked Britain” is now on Netflix

The BBC’s true-story spy drama The Trial of Christine Keeler has been added to Netflix.

The six-episode TV show first aired on BBC One in 2019, chronicles the happenings of the Profumo Scandal from the 1960s. This scandal involved model and nightclub performer Christine Keeler, who was imprisoned for her role in a political drama with British cabinet minister John Profumo.

At age 19, model Christine is caught up in a romantic entanglement between a spy and a minister. This unexpected love triangle causes quite a stir, leading to the collapse of the entire establishment, as portrayed in the sensational tale that caused a commotion in Britain.” (BBC’s official synopsis)

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As a gamer, I’d say, “I’m part of an exciting ensemble cast in this game, with Sophie Cookson portraying Keeler. Joining her are James Norton, Ben Miles, Ellie Bamber, Emilia Fox, and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett.

After its premiere, the show garnered favorable comments from critics, resulting in a solid 77% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, the audience score is even more impressive at 86%.

Despite some viewers finding the complex narrative structure distracting, “The Trial of Christine Keeler” continues to captivate audiences – albeit with a touch of repetitiveness – as a compelling historical lesson, primarily due to the powerhouse performances it showcases.

In the series, Stephen Ward is portrayed as the physician who linked Professor Profumo with Keeler and her acquaintance, Mandy Rice-Davies.

In an interview with Digital Spy prior to its premiere, Norton mentioned that one of his main challenges was holding back on making the character of Ward excessively likable or compassionate.

In my opinion, I found him extremely charming, and this characteristic shone through in his writings, as I shared back then about the ‘Happy Valley’.

The issue at hand seemed to be balancing his commitments towards individuals such as Mandy and Christine against certain obligations, which left him with quite a bit of explaining to do.

I frequently had to remind myself that he wasn’t off the hook, as it was crucial to examine his appeal, charm, and even his charisma. However, we couldn’t overlook the troubling fact that he began grooming women at a young age, primarily for his personal gain.

The Trial of Christine Keeler is now on Netflix.

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2025-05-11 14:56