Welsh actor Michael Sheen will star as the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, in the Amazon series A Very Royal Scandal based on the "explosive" Newsnight interview from November 2019. 

The three-part series is currently in the works in the UK and will see Sheen, who hails from Newport, star alongside Ruth Wilson (Luther, His Dark Materials, Saving Mr Banks) in the new Amazon series.

Wilson will take on the role of Emily Maitlis, the journalist who grilled Prince Andrew over his relationship with late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in November 2019 in A Very Royal Scandal.

Maitlis, who left Newsnight to host The News Agents podcast with former BBC journalists Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall, is an executive producer on the production.

She has already been an executive producer of a Channel 4 documentary about the interview called Andrew: The Problem Prince.

A Netflix film adaptation of the interview is also in the works which will be titled Scoop.

In that version, Maitlis is played by Sex Education star Gillian Anderson while Rufus Sewell (The Holiday, A Knights Tale, Kaleidiscope) appears as the Duke of York.

What is A Very Royal Scandal about? 

The three-part series, starring Sheen, will “follow Emily Maitlis’s professional and personal journey as a Newsnight journalist, leading up to her acclaimed interview with Prince Andrew” over his relationship with late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in November 2019, Amazon Studios said.

The Amazon Studios series follows on from A Very English Scandal and A Very British Scandal. 

A Very English Scandal dramatised an alleged affair between model Norman Scott (Ben Whishaw) and leader of the Liberal party Jeremy Thorpe (Hugh Grant).

While A Very British Scandal dramatised a divorce court case between Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll (Claire Foy) and Ian Campbell, the 11th Duke of Argyll (Paul Bettany).

Both aired on the BBC.

A Very Royal Scandal cast

The series is written by The Last King Of Scotland writer Jeremy Brock and directed by Becoming Jane’s Julian Jarrold.

South Wales Argus: A release date for A Very Royal Scandal - starring Michael Sheen (right) - is yet to be revealed.A release date for A Very Royal Scandal - starring Michael Sheen (right) - is yet to be revealed. (Image: PA)

The cast of A Very Royal Scandal includes:

  • Michel Sheen - The Duke of York, Prince Andrew
  • Ruth Wilson - Emily Maitlis
  • Joanna Scanlan - Amanda Thirsk (Prince Andrew’s ex-private secretary)
  • Alex Jennings - Sir Edward Young (Queen Elizabeth II's private secretary)
  • Eanna Hardwicke - Stewart Maclean (BBC Newsnight editor)

A release date is yet to be revealed for Amazon Studio's A Very Royal Scandal.