Is Anatomy of a Scandal based on a true story?

Anatomy of a Scandal is a new British crime drama from  David E. Kelley and Melissa James Gibson based on a book of the same name by Sarah Vaughan. The series is coming to Netflix this Friday, April 15. The six-episode first season will drop at once, and if the show is renewed, it is planned as an anthology, with every season focusing on a different scandal.

Starring Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend, Michelle Dockery, Naomi Scott and Josette Simon, Anatomy of a Scandal promises to be a thrilling, psychological tale that will keep viewers hooked from beginning to end. However, given its political storyline and mentions of the #MeToo movement, it’s easy to see why many people are curious as to whether or not Anatomy of a Scandal is based on a true story.

Many elements of the plot ring true, and there are no shortages of real scandals plaguing British elites and political players. Let’s take a deeper look into the story at the heart of this new show and whether or not it’s based on an actual headline.

Is Anatomy of a Scandal based on a true story?

No, the series is not based on a true story. However, I think we can safely say elements are inspired by real-life events as I’m sure certain aspects have played out very similarly in real-life sex scandals with the political landscape. In 2018, Vaughan spoke with Waterstones about her novel and some of the real cases she witnessed that inspired this story.

Here’s what she said:

"I also saw how sex scandals involving politicians broke and played out. I was in the lobby when the Home Secretary David Blunkett was exposed by the News of the World for having an affair with the publisher of the Spectator; and I saw Boris Johnson colourfully deny and later admit to lying over, his affair with Petronella Wyatt."

She mentions a few other specific instances, like “the resignations of cabinet ministers Peter Mandelson, over the Hinduja affair, and Robin Cook, over Iraq,” and how she was with “Tony Blair, on a trip to Istanbul, when the news broke that the former weapons inspector Dr. David Kelly had committed suicide.”

The show might reflect similar themes and elements found in these true stories, but there isn’t one specific event that forms the basis of the plot. James and Sophie Whitehouse are fictional characters, as are all the others in the show.

Is Anatomy of a Scandal based on a book?

Yes, the series is based on a novel written by British writer and journalist Sarah Vaughan. Her previous credits include working as a senior reporter, political correspondent and health correspondent for The Guardian.

Vaughan’s books are usually psychological thrillers and often contain themes of power and privilege, no doubt influenced by her years seeing scandal up close and personal as a journalist. Anatomy of a Scandal was actually her third novel, released in 2018, and the first to receive a screen adaptation.

Stream Academy of a Scandal on Netflix this Friday, April 15.