Channel 4 has announced that a documentary focusing on the Duke of York’s interview on Newsnight will air as the broadcaster runs alternative programming around the coronation.
As part of the two-part series, former BBC journalist Emily Maitlis will speak in detail about how she came to grill Andrew over his relationship with the late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Following a November 2019 broadcast and the furore over Andrew’s friendship with Epstein, the duke stepped down from public life.
Andrew – The Problem Prince, in 60-minute episodes, will also feature archive footage, an interview with former Newsnight producer Sam McAlister and access to palace insiders, Channel 4 said.
The interview is also being adapted by Netflix with Sex Education star Gillian Anderson playing Maitlis and The Man In The High Castle actor Rufus Sewell as Andrew.
During the original airing around four years ago, the duke denied to Newsnight that he had sex with Virginia Giuffre and said he had no recollection of ever meeting her and had spent the day in question at Pizza Express in Woking for a party with one of his daughters.
Ms Giuffre said the duke sweated heavily as they danced at London nightclub Tramp in one alleged encounter.
Andrew told Maitlis his Falklands War service had caused a medical condition, at the time, which meant he did not sweat.
Ms Giuffre also claims that Epstein trafficked her on three separate occasions, including when she was 17 – still a minor under US law.
Epstein died in August 2019 at the age of 66.
Last year, the duke settled his US sexual assault case out of court, although the agreement was not an admission of guilt and he has always strenuously denied the allegations against him.
Boyle’s documentary will also ask whether the royal family “has a place in today’s world” and “should it continue?”.
The one-off programme was previously titled Frankie Boyle: Monarchy, when it was announced in August as part of the broadcaster’s 40 year-anniversary celebrations last year along with a Prince Andrew musical.
In September the Queen died aged 96 and a lot of programming across broadcasters was changed as a result.
Last month, The Windsors Coronation Special was announced which will see Harry Enfield as the king invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to his special day as the comedy show returns after three years with a 60-minute one-off programme.
Channel 4’s chief content officer, Ian Katz, said: “Channel 4 exists to provide viewers with an alternative, so as the nation is engulfed by pomp, circumstance and forelock-tugging, we’ll be offering a rather less reverential slate of programmes including Frankie Boyle’s case against the monarchy and the Windsors’ scabrous satirical take on the coronation.”
On the day the King and Queen Consort are crowned in May, Channel 4 will also have an alternative schedule that the broadcaster said “will provide an escape from the pomp and ceremony”.
Details on their May 6 programming will be announced in due course.
