ITV's 'A Cruel Love' Reexamines the Complex Legacy of Ruth Ellis

The drama revisits the life and trial of the last woman executed in Britain, highlighting issues of gender, class, and justice in 1950s society.

Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, is portrayed by Lucy Boynton in ITV's new four-part drama 'A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story.'
The series explores Ellis's turbulent life, including her abusive relationships and the societal biases she faced as a working-class woman in 1950s Britain.
Toby Jones plays John Bickford, Ellis's solicitor, who struggles to save her from the death penalty while navigating her refusal to implicate others involved.
The drama reframes Ellis's story through a modern lens, raising questions about justice, gender, and class while acknowledging her flaws and agency.
Based on Carol Ann Lee's book 'A Fine Day for a Hanging,' the series has prompted renewed calls for a posthumous pardon for Ellis.