Joan Hannington’s Emotional Struggle with Her Daughter at Heart of ITV’s ‘Joan’
The relationship between notorious London criminal Joan Hannington and her daughter is the emotional core of ITV’s gripping new crime drama Joan. Known as “The Godmother” during the 1980s, Hannington’s life of crime, which included stealing diamonds, was largely driven by her desire to reunite with her daughter, who had been placed in foster care, told the Mirror.
The series brings to life the events that led Hannington into a life of crime, starting with the devastating loss of her daughter. In an impulsive first theft, Joan swallows jewels, setting her on a path of crime that she would walk for years to come. But viewers are left to wonder—how far will she go to get her daughter back?
Joan airs on ITV1 on Sunday and Monday, and the entire series is available to stream on ITVX. Throughout the show, viewers witness Joan’s attempts to reclaim her daughter, Kelly (a fictionalized version of her real-life daughter Debbie), but the cost of this reunion is steep. While the show dramatizes parts of Joan’s life, it stays true to the raw emotions behind her struggle.
One of the most intense scenes in the series involves Joan, disguised and desperate, retrieving her daughter from school following a disastrous raid on Bernard’s jewellery shop, which led to the death of her partner, Boisie. In an emotional reunion, Kelly is thrilled to see her mother, but Joan, burdened by grief and fear, warns her daughter to keep their escape a secret.
As they drive to a hideout, Joan is visibly shaken by Boisie’s death, struggling to maintain composure. Kelly’s attempts to lift her mother’s spirits fall flat, and the tension rises when she discovers a gun in Joan’s suitcase. Though Joan prevents her daughter from firing the gun, she realizes that she is unfit to care for Kelly, leaving her heartbroken at her foster home before surrendering to the authorities.
In real life, Joan Hannington’s daughter Debbie was placed in care, and Joan struggled to maintain contact with her. In her memoir I Am What I Am, Joan details her decision to leave Debbie in care for a better life. Although their relationship remains uncertain, Joan did not attend the premiere of the ITV series with Debbie, though she was joined by her son Benny Banks, who made a cameo appearance in the series. Joan now lives on the South Coast with her two dogs and is a proud grandmother.