A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story

A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story (2025)

EndedScripted showDrama, Crime, History

Told over two parallel timelines, A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story reveals secret truths about the case which have remained hidden for decades, poses tantalising questions about what really happened in the months before Ruth killed her lover David Blakely, and sheds light on the life of one of Britain's most infamous murderesses.

The drama depicts Ruth's entry into a dizzying upper class London world that promises so much, but ultimately delivers treachery. We follow her glamorous lifestyle as a young nightclub manageress, her abusive relationship with the man she later gunned down in cold blood, her arrest, trial and the subsequent legal fight to reprieve her before she was hanged by infamous hangman, Albert Pierrepoint, in Holloway Prison, aged just 28.

Network

Last Episode

Episode 4
Season 1Episode 446 min

Episode 4

The day before Ruth's execution, she finally agrees to tell her new lawyer, Victor Mishcon, the full story, the whole truth. Mishcon has twenty-four hours to save her life. We flashback to the weeks leading up to David's murder and now understand how his death came about. The story comes full circle and we see its tragic, compelling events with fresh eyes.

Mar 5, 2025

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E04Episode 4Mar 5, 2025
S01E03Episode 3Mar 5, 2025
S01E02Episode 2Mar 5, 2025
S01E01Episode 1Mar 5, 2025
View all episodesView all seasons

Cast

Mark Stanley

Mark Stanley

plays Desmond Cussen
Toby Stephens

Toby Stephens

plays Melford Stevenson QC
Arthur Darvill

Arthur Darvill

plays Victor Mishcon
Paul Hilton

Paul Hilton

plays Christmas Humphreys QC
Joe Armstrong

Joe Armstrong

plays DCI Davies
Toby Jones

Toby Jones

plays John Bickford
Juliet Stevenson

Juliet Stevenson

plays Charity Taylor
Nigel Havers

Nigel Havers

plays Judge Havers
View all cast

Characters

Desmond Cussen

Desmond Cussen

played by Mark Stanley
Melford Stevenson QC

Melford Stevenson QC

played by Toby Stephens
Victor Mishcon

Victor Mishcon

played by Arthur Darvill
Christmas Humphreys QC

Christmas Humphreys QC

played by Paul Hilton
DCI Davies

DCI Davies

played by Joe Armstrong
John Bickford

John Bickford

played by Toby Jones
Charity Taylor

Charity Taylor

played by Juliet Stevenson
Judge Havers

Judge Havers

played by Nigel Havers
View all characters

Also known as

  • Ruth

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