The true story behind Sophie Turner's new show sounds too wild to be real.

They say diamonds are a girl's best friend, but Sophie Turner's upcoming series Joan proves that particular friendship can be quite complicated. 

The new Stan Original series, written by acclaimed screenwriter Anna Symon and directed by BAFTA Award-winning Richard Laxton, sees Turner bring to life the exhilarating true story of the notorious jewellery thief Joan Hannington.

The series follows the extravagant yet heartbreaking journey of Hannington, from her abusive marriage, to motherhood, and all the thrilling and dangerous endeavours that led to her becoming a skillful jewel thief.

Set against the backdrop of London in the 80s, the show promises bold fashion and an iconic soundtrack. But at the centre of its story is, of course, a jewellery thief named Joan.

Who is the real Joan Hannington? She was one of the most infamous women in London's criminal underworld, nicknamed 'The Godmother.'

Born into a violent household, Hannington endured a terrible upbringing. In an interview with the Irish Independent, Hannington shared that her parents regularly beat her and her siblings with bats, and held their heads under bath water. They were often denied food. 

She left home at 13.

At 17, Hannington welcomed her first child, Debbie, with her partner Ray Pavey. But she was trapped in a violent marriage, with Hannington saying Pavey was just as abusive as her father.

With no money and nowhere to turn, Hannington sought help from social services. 

"Basically, I did the right thing. I went to the Social Services and they nicked my baby," she told the Irish Independent. 

"They told me 'get job, get a house, do all this'," Joan continued, "But I'd no prospects, no education. I'd been a battered wife for years, I was just over TB. I hadn't a hope."

Sophie Turner stars as Joan Hannington. Image: Stan

The day her baby was taken also marked the beginning of Hannington's criminal history, when she took a job at a jeweller in order to meet the demands of Social Services.

One day, Hannington was left alone with a tray of diamonds.

She took the opportunity and started swallowing handfuls of them, allegedly stealing £800,000 worth of diamonds on that day alone.

In her book, I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain's Most Notorious Jewel Thief, Hannington wrote: "Best bank in the world is your tummy. Best safety-deposit box invented."

The criminal act was at first, an attempt to reunite with her daughter.

"I just saw those diamonds," she said. "And I saw a flat and some money and getting Debbie back. And then, after a while, when it became obvious I wasn't going to get her back, I just thought, f**k it, I'm going to have a brilliant life, then."

And the rest is history. For the next 20 years, Hannington transformed her lifestyle by continuing to swallow and steal diamonds from various jewellers. And she was never caught for it.

"To be a woman doing that sort of thing, in those days," she said, "It wasn't the norm, but it was an amazing buzz. I didn't have to sleep with someone for their money, or so I'd have a home. I had my own money, bought my own cars and fur coats. It wasn't on for me to say that in front of people, though."

Frank Dillane stars as Boisie, alongside Sophie Turner as Joan Hannington in the new series. Image: Stan

Hannington then met her second husband, Ronald Thomas Hannington. He was also a criminal, and in the show he goes by the name of 'Boisie'.

Where she stole jewels, he dabbled in antiques. A match made in criminal heaven, you might say. 

The couple wed in 1980 shortly before her stint in prison — though, she wasn't arrested for stealing jewels. She was arrested for being in possession of a stolen cheque book, and was sentenced to 30 months in Holloway Prison.

Upon her release, Hannington continued to steal diamonds and jewels to fund the couple's lavish lifestyle.

But under the veil of fur coats and luxurious cars, Hannington always embodied a sense of sadness. The trauma of losing her daughter never left her, and made it almost impossible for her to consider having another child.

"After I lost Debbie, I never even touched a child. I never hugged or kissed one because I thought I should be kissing and hugging Debbie. Everything I felt about kids was about losing Debbie, but when I had Ben, it was amazing. I just reversed everything my parents had done to me and it was brilliant," she said of her son.

The real Joan Hannington was never caught, but chose to tell her story. Image: Stan.

But tragedy struck once more in 1987, when Ronald died in a fire… after planning an arson attack on their house in order to claim an insurance payout.

After the passing of her husband, Hannington had a moment of reflection regarding what she truly wanted. Ultimately, she decided to give up her lavish lifestyle for one that was simpler and better for her and her child. 

"The money never brought me any happiness," she said. "And I just wanted to prove I could raise a good child in a straight world. And I done it."

In 2002 she released a memoir titled I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain's Most Notorious Jewel Thief, which quickly became a bestseller as it detailed her life as a jewellery thief.

Now, her story is coming to our screens on Stan, on October 1.

Watch the official trailer for Joan below.

Feature image: Stan.