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*A Very British Scandal*
A Very British Scandal
Genre	Historical drama
Written by	Sarah Phelps
Directed by	Anne Sewitsky
Starring	Claire Foy; Paul Bettany;
Composer	Nathan Barr
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of episodes	3
Production
Executive producers	Sarah Phelps; Anne Sewitsky; Claire Foy; Kate Triggs; Delyth Scudamore; Graham Broadbent; Peter Czernin; Diarmuid McKeown; Lucy Richer; Dominic Treadwell-Collins;
Producer	Chris Ballantyne
Production locations	England; Scotland;
Cinematography	Si Bell
Editor	Dominic Strevens
Running time	177 minutes
Production companies	Blueprint Television; Sony Pictures Television Studios; Amazon Studios;
Original release
Network	BBC One
Release	26 December –; 28 December 2021

A Very British Scandal is a 2021 historical drama miniseries starring Claire Foy as Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll and Paul Bettany as Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll.^[1] While not a direct sequel or continuation, its production company, Blueprint Pictures, previously made A Very English Scandal (2018), about the Thorpe affair.^[2] A third installment A Very Royal Scandal (2024), based on the infamous Prince Andrew interview with Emily Maitlis premiered in September 2024.^[3]

Written and created by Sarah Phelps, A Very British Scandal premiered in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 26 December 2021, and on Amazon Prime Video on 22 April 2022.

Synopsis

The three-episode series dramatises the marriage of Margaret Whigham Sweeny and Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll and Chief (Scottish Gaelic: MacCailein Mòr) of Clan Campbell, and the media frenzy surrounding their 1963 Argyll v Argyll divorce case.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll, is a member of the Scottish nobility and the House of Lords in the early 1960s. He meets socialite Margaret Whigham Sweeny and falls in love with her while he is still married to his second wife, Louise.

After marrying Margaret, Ian Campbell announces that he intends to leave his estate to his oldest son. Margaret―who stands to gain nothing in the event of her new husband's death―starts rumours that Ian's children are illegitimate.

It became a notorious and scandalous legal case, featuring accusations of adultery, forgery, theft, domestic violence, drug use and bribery.^[7] The series explores the social and political climate of post-war Britain and attitudes toward women in the 1960s.^[8]

Cast

Claire Foy as Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll
Paul Bettany as Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll
Julia Davis as Maureen Guinness, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava
Richard McCabe as George Whigham
Sophia Myles as Louise Campbell, Duchess of Argyll
Phoebe Nicholls as Helen Whigham
Amanda Drew as Yvonne MacPherson
Jonathan Aris as John Wheatley, Lord Wheatley
Oliver Chris as George Emslie QC
Richard Goulding as Charles Jauncey, advocate
Timothy Renouf as Peter Combe
Nicholas Rowe as Ian Fraser QC
Camilla Rutherford as Diana Napier
Mitchell Robertson as Lennox
Sophie Ward as Janet Kidd
Katherine Manners as Jane Corby Whigham
Miles Jupp as Dr. Ivor Griffiths
Albertine Kotting McMillan as Lady Jeanne Campbell
Daniel Burt as Ian Campbell, Marquess of Lorne

Production

In March 2021, it was announced that Claire Foy and Paul Bettany had been cast in the lead roles and that Sarah Phelps would write and executive produce, with Anne Sewitsky directing and executive producing.^[2]^[9]

The series was filmed in Scotland and England, including at Scotland's Inveraray Castle (home of the Duke of Argyll), Glen Etive in the Scottish Highlands, Edinburgh's Parliament House, the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane Hotel, Kimpton Fitzroy London Hotel, Goldsmiths' Hall in London, and the Rivoli Ballroom in London.^[10]

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.K. viewers (millions)
1	"Episode 1"	Anne Sewitsky	Sarah Phelps	26 December 2021 (2021-12-26)	6.96
2	"Episode 2"	Anne Sewitsky	Sarah Phelps	27 December 2021 (2021-12-27)	5.48
3	"Episode 3"	Anne Sewitsky	Sarah Phelps	28 December 2021 (2021-12-28)	5.30

Release

The series premiered in the United Kingdom on BBC One on December 26, 2021, and released in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on Prime Video on April 22, 2022.^[7]

In the United States, Amazon released A Very British Scandal as the second season of A Very English Scandal.

Critical reception

Lucy Mangan of The Guardian gave the series five out of five stars, praising the writing and casting of the leads, as well as the portrayal of Margaret Campbell as an independent woman but not as a heroic figure.^[11] Ed Cumming of The Independent also gave the series five out of five stars, writing that Foy and Bettany are "both exceptional."^[12] Carol Midgley of The Times was less complimentary, awarding three out of five stars, but also praising Foy.^[13] Anita Singh of The Daily Telegraph gave it two out of five stars, criticising the shift in tone and style from A Very English Scandal, and feeling that it failed to make Margaret a sympathetic character.^[14]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref.
2022	Broadcast Press Guild Award	Best Drama Mini-Series	A Very British Scandal	Won	^[15] ^[16]
		Best Actress	Claire Foy	Won
		Best Writer	Sarah Phelps	Nominated
	British Academy Television Awards	Best Costume Design	Ian Fulcher	Nominated	^[17]
		Best Editing: Fiction	Dominic Strevens	Nominated
		Best Make-Up & Hair Design	Catherine Scoble	Nominated
		Best Sound: Fiction	Sound Team	Won
	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)	Nathan Barr (for "Episode 1")	Nominated	^[18]
	Set Decorators Society of America Awards	Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Television Movie or Limited Series	Philippa Hart and Christina Moore	Nominated	^[19]