The Duchess of York had been hoping streaming giants would pick up small-screen adaptations of her novels – but this dream is now appears in tatters following her email controversy
Sarah Ferguson’s Hollywood comeback is thought to be all but wiped out after her ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were exposed in a grovelling apology she wrote to the paedophile.
The Duchess of York’s American dream, which, if successful, could have netted her millions, could now turn into a financial nightmare for her and her former husband, Prince Andrew. Despite their divorce, the two still share Royal Lodge in Windsor, with their money ensuring the running of the family home.
Fergie, 65, had been working on adapting her novels ‘Her Heart’ for a ‘Compass and A Most Intriguing Lady’ into a multi-part TV series, described as a “Bridgerton-style” Victorian thriller. Storyboards and plotlines were drawn up, and the project had been pitched to streaming giants including Netflix.
But last night, a major Hollywood dealmaker dismissed the series as “dead and buried due to this Epstein revelation.” “For Sarah to be linked to this scandal at this time for the US is just toxic news for the project. It will never see the light of day,” the source said.
Ferguson had long boasted, both publicly and to friends, that the show would cement her status in TV and secure accolades like a Golden Globe and an Emmy. She had attempted to lure ‘Outlander’ star Sam Heughan into the lead role, though insiders confirm he never signed on.
“You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family,” Ferguson wrote in 2011. The note directly contradicted an earlier statement in which she admitted her involvement with Epstein was a “gigantic error of judgment,” adding: “What he did was wrong and for which he was rightly jailed.”
Now, the series is rumoured to be effectively dead, with no talent willing to touch the project. The latest setback follows numerous charities dropping Ferguson as a patron, following the emergence of emails in which she described Epstein as a “supreme friend”, written weeks after she had publicly distanced herself from him.
A multi-award-winning LA producer gave their opinion the Mirror: “Sarah Ferguson’s scandal means this show is cooked. It ain’t going to be picked by anyone because this Epstein connection makes the brand totally toxic at this time in Hollywood.
“She was shopping her books around as a new version of ‘Bridgerton’, trading on her Royal credentials to appeal to American audiences. Initial reactions were lukewarm, but the second book gave a sense of real potential. Harry and Meghan showed Royal content draws viewers, but now, the word is ‘f*** no.’ Too controversial with Epstein tied in.
“With the US government probe still ongoing, this scandal is going to keep heating up. Fergie can’t sit on a US TV show without someone dragging up these emails. There’s no hiding from black-and-white evidence.”
Two years ago, Ferguson had spoken enthusiastically to Good Morning Britain, saying: “The TV series is going to be very exciting because I want Jamie to come out of Outlander and into my TV series, I’m just putting it out there, right Jamie?”
She added that the show would “be very exciting and I’m going to win an Emmy.” ‘A Most Intriguing Lady’, released in August 2022, was billed by Ferguson as “Peaky Blinders meets Pride and Prejudice.”
She has spent years in development with companies delivering shows to NBC, Disney and Netflix. Ferguson previously enjoyed success with her children’s book Budgie the Helicopter, which became a cartoon series, and produced the 2009 film The Young Victoria.
The fallout from her Epstein email underscores the fragility of Ferguson’s attempts to reinvent herself. Once one of the Royal Family’s most beloved figures, she now faces the humiliation of being a “toxic brand” in Hollywood, her career prospects wrecked by emails praising a convicted paedophile.
