Suzannah Lipscomb is back to uncover more historic royal scandals for Channel 4

5 August 2024

• Hello Mary has been commissioned to produce a second series of The Royals: A History of Scandals for Channel 4
• Extended six-part series will see historian Suzannah Lipscomb uncover more salacious secrets from royal households of yesteryear

Channel 4 has commissioned Brighton-based production company Hello Mary to produce an extended second series of The Royals: A History of Scandals for More4 and its streaming service.

In a year when speculation about the private lives of the current Royal Family has reached fever pitch, Suzannah Lipscomb is returning to remind us that intrigue and fascination about what goes on behind palace gates is certainly no modern phenomenon.

The six-part series – due to air later this year – will once again see Suzannah delve deep into Britain’s extensive regal history to reveal more about the scandals we think we already know, and perhaps uncover some shocking new ones along the way.

The historian and presenter will travel the country, visiting some of the UK’s most extraordinary palaces and historic houses, to talk to experts about the role the press, parliament and public have played in generating outrage and spreading gossip across the centuries.

Suzannah Lipscomb said: “It’s a joy to be working with a brilliant team on series two. The stories are even more deliciously scandalous and our locations are just spectacular. Above all, it’s just so much fun and my hope is that sense of fun will make it equally enjoyable for our audience.”

The show’s first series covered everything from George IV’s insatiable appetite for spending, to the Cleveland Street gay brothel rumours that engulfed Prince Albert Victor, to the question of whether or not Queen Victoria’s uncle really did murder his valet.

But with a monarchy spanning approximately 1200 years, and countless royal scandals to dissect, series one merely scratched the surface. Some of the stories explored in the upcoming series include the sex chair that was specially designed for Prince Bertie by an exclusive Paris brothel; the mysterious disappearance of two child princes in the Tower of London; and the relationship between Prince George, Duke of Kent and the controversial American socialite whose drug addiction earned her the nickname, “the girl with the silver syringe”.

The Royals: A History of Scandals (6 x 60’) was commissioned by Channel 4’s Jayne Stanger, Commissioning Editor for Lifestyle, and Jo Street, Head of Lifestyle, and is produced by Hello Mary (part of STV Studios), with Steve Regan as Executive Producer. It’s Hello Mary’s second commission from Channel 4 in recent months, following Vicky Pattison: Destination Wedding (w/t), which is set to air later this year.

Channel 4’s Jayne Stanger, Commissioning Editor for Lifestyle, said: “We’re looking forward to bringing More4 viewers even more revelations from the history of the nation’s monarchy with Suzannah once again uncovering centuries of scandals at the heart of the British royalty.”

Steve Regan, Executive Producer and CEO of Hello Mary, said: “As has been made starkly clear this year, social media is awash with some truly wild royal rumours and conspiracy theories. But as Suzannah expertly showed in series one, this kind of gossip is nothing new, and we’re delighted that Channel 4 has commissioned us to uncover even more historic regal scandals that are sure to make viewers clutch their pearls – or crown jewels – in surprise.”

ENDS

 

Media Contact

Stephen Innes, STV Studios – stephen.innes@stv.tv