Star of new ITV drama plays a ‘blinder’ in nostalgic portrayal of 80s criminal

New ITV drama Joan has been lauded by viewers for its nostalgic feel and ‘gripping’ plot following its premiere this weekend.

Starring Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner, the highly anticipated series is based on the true story of Joan Hannington, who, in her memoir titled I Am What I Am, declares herself ‘Britain’s most notorious jewel thief.’

With Sophie, 28, taking the lead, the thriller burst onto screens tonight and set viewers up for six nights of compelling drama.

In episode 1, the scene was set and Joan’s situation laid bare: a woman in her twenties and single mother to a six-year-old who was forced into foster care when she fled from a disastrous marriage to a violent criminal.

Seizing the opportunity to forge a new life for herself, and in a desperate bid to get her daughter back, Joan begins adopting new identities, blagging herself a job at a high-end jeweller, which taught her all she needed to know to embark on a journey of masterful thievery.

Driven by her desire to not only get back on her feet financially but establish a safe home for her daughter, Kelly, Joan begins risking everything.

The first episode sees just the start of her relationships with some shifty characters, as she pulls off her first minor theft and plunges herself into a dark world of crime.

Viewers were instantly enthralled by Sophie’s performance, praising her for ‘playing a blinder’ for how she embodied the woman herself.

But that wasn’t all that got people talking.

Also receiving warm praise was the show’s aesthetic, set in 1980s London.

Taking to X as the episode aired, audiences expressed their love for the ambience and how the show’s creators ‘nailed’ the 80s atmosphere and took them back in time.

Sophie underwent her own transformation for the part, her long locks swept up under a blonde bob, donning bold red lipstick and sporting dark eye makeup.

She wears fur coats, vibrant nail polish, statement earrings, and denim jackets, helping her fit right into the surroundings created, whether it be the bustling streets of the capital or a stranger’s living room decorated with gaudy carpets and vinyl.

‘Well, #Joan is good so far, no? And 80s aesthetic is spot on’, wrote sfiandercomms on X.

‘Bloody love the 80s & this was right up my street, soundtrack of my youth throughout was an added bonus’, praised Deew04, with the show’s music featuring tunes Making Your Mind Up and Tainted Love.

‘I’d forgotten about the fluorescent bedside lights. I had one of those’, laughed fudgineejit, having been reminded of their own 80s possessions.

They later added: ‘Loving the music so far… it’s taking me right back in time.’

OliReading also pointed out the ‘shoulder pads’ while AddysAura tweeted: ‘I’m here for all the 80s vibes.’

Others were keen to applaud Sophie’s performance, urging her to ‘take a bow’ for how she expertly replicated the mannerisms of the real-life Joan.

‘Sophie Turner is such a great actress. Brilliant first episode’, wrote HaizEsque.

As for Joan off the screen, she’s now 68 and retired from her life of crime 40 years ago, believed to reside on the south coast of England with her two dogs.

Ahead of the drama’s release, she met up with Sophie and posed with her for photos – despite not having a clue who she was before.

Once known as ‘the Godmother,’ the diamond robber did, however, declare casting directors ‘couldn’t have got anyone better’ to play her.

‘And for me, the good part was I’d never seen Sophie in anything. I’m in bed at seven o’clock every night of my life. I’m addicted to TikTok, so I don’t watch much telly, which was a good thing, because I didn’t have anything to compare her to,’ she revealed in a Q&A.

Meanwhile, Sophie has spoken highly about playing the glamorous Joan, branding it the ‘thrill of [her] career’.

‘She really is so much in one person. And I just felt it. It was the biggest treat to be able to play her. And it’s just remarkable that it’s all a true story – or inspired by!’