What's Behind The Lies?

Sophie Cookson and James Norton on their explosive new drama that explores the infamous Profumo affair

- Caren Clark

The early 1960s has been uncannily re-created as TV Times stands in a swanky restaurant watching models Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies chat about their colorful love lives.

Today, we’re in Bristol visiting the official residence of the city’s Lord Mayor, which is doubling up as an exclusive London eatery, to watch filming for BBC1’s much-anticipated new drama The Trial of Christine Keeler, which explores the real-life infamous Profumo affair that rocked the British establishment.

The six-parter follows 19-yearold showgirl Christine (played by rising star Sophie Cookson) as she meets Tory MP and Secretary of State for War John Profumo (The Capture’s Ben Miles) through her friendship with society osteopath Stephen Ward (Happy Valley’s James Norton, who is sporting silver streaks in his hair and has had wrinkles added with make-up for the role).

But when Christine and John’s subsequent affair is exposed at the height of the Cold War, links are revealed between them, Stephen and Soviet naval attaché Yevgeny Ivanov (Good Omens’ Visar Vishka), and, along with Mandy (Les Misérables star Ellie Bamber), they become embroiled in the catastrophic fallout.

During a break in filming, Sophie, 29, and James, 34, give us their take on the story…