Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five to be Adapted for TV

Hallie Rubenhold’s Sunday Times Bestseller, The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper is a history book that recounts the lives of Jack the Ripper’s victims; Mary Ann “Polly” Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly – who were murdered in the late summer and autumn of 1888. It has now been announced that Rubenhold’s book, which focuses on the intriguing lives of those victims giving them a voice – rather than focussing on their murders and the notorious murderer Jack the Ripper –will be getting a TV drama adaptation.

This new drama will be written by Gwyneth Hughes who wrote ITV’s recent adaptation of William Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. The scripts for the dramatization of The Five have been bought by Mainstream Pictures – the production company behind ITV’s hit drama Unforgotten – while a broadcaster is expected to be signed for this exciting new project soon.

The production company explained, “For more than a century, the media have been keen to tell us that ‘the Ripper’ preyed on prostitutes. Not only is this untrue, as Rubenhold has discovered, it has prevented the real stories of these fascinating women from being told.”

While author, Hallie Rubenhold added: “For years, the stories of the victims of the Ripper have been obscured by our society’s obsession with the killer. The Five turns this 130-year-old narrative on its head and focuses on the unique and surprising lives of the women. Virtually everything we have come to believe about these mothers, sisters, daughters, wives and lovers is incorrect. None of them were from the East End of London and all had lived full and varied lives coloured by tragedy and triumph before their deaths. By giving voice to the victims, the Five promises to change the way we see the Ripper murders forever. Their moving and dramatic stories are ideal for television.”

There is no news yet on filming or release dates for this adaptation of Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five but we will endeavour to bring you more news as it is released and in the meantime, why not read the book that inspires it?