‘A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story’ Trailer Finds Lucy Boynton in the British True Crime Series!! Check It Out!!

BritBox will soon return to the world of true crime with its upcoming new series, A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story. Starring Lucy Boynton in the titular role, it recounts the tale of the last woman ever to be hanged in Britain and addresses the controversy swirling around the fateful decision. A new trailer released today shows that her execution for murder was much more than just justice, but an unfair condemnation of her for reasons beyond her crime and a product of the country’s “timeless obsessions of class, sex, and death.” The series will kick off with a two-episode premiere on February 17.

Based on the acclaimed biography A Fine Day for Hanging: The Real Ruth Ellis Story by author Carol Ann Lee, A Cruel Love takes place in the glamorous club scene of 1955 London. At only age 28, Ruth found herself in a position of social status as the youngest owner of an establishment in the capital city. Her ambition and bravery eventually led her to David Blakely (Laurie Davidson), a racing driver whom she soon becomes romantically entangled with. However, their relationship eventually leads to her downfall, as his constant abuse drives her to one day murder him. Put on trial by a system that sees her as unworthy of saving, she strives to make her story heard and prove that she’s not just some “beaten little fool.”

The trailer sees the story unfold from two perspectives, first showing the moment Ellis murdered Blakely from an outsider’s perspective before she turns herself in to the police. Her lawyer, played by Emmy-nominated veteran Toby Jones, acknowledges that, at face value, she’s likely to hang for her crimes. As she recounts how Blakely would switch from a loving partner to an abusive monster at a moment’s notice, however, the attorney becomes more certain that she doesn’t deserve the punishment coming towards her. Nevertheless, there are powerful people, from the prosecutor to another woman, who are determined to destroy her, setting up a painful, emotional battle to determine her fate.

Who Else Is on Board for ‘A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story’

Boynton has built quite a strong resume over the years, from Sing Street to Bohemian Rhapsody, Kenneth Branagh‘s Murder on the Orient Express, and, more recently, the romantic flick The Greatest Hits opposite future Superman David Corenswet. For A Cruel Love, she leads a solid cast that, in addition to Jones and Davidson, features Happy Valley alum Mark Stanley and Bridgerton star Bessie Carter. At the helm of it all is The Long Call creator Kelly Jones as the writer, with Lee Haven Jones directing all four parts and Angie Daniell producing. Rounding out the team are executive producers Kate Bartlett, Antonia Gordon, and Kelly Jones.

A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story will premiere with two episodes on February 17 on BritBox. New episodes will follow weekly until the finale arrives on March 3. Check out the trailer below.