Press screening of Frauds starring Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker

Move over Danny Ocean, there’s a new heist crew in town, and they’re not here to play nice. Frauds, pennedd by Anne Marie O’Conner and Suranne Jones – reunited after hit drama Maryland – and starring Jones and Jodie Whittaker as two con-women besties, Frauds not only flips the gender script on the classic heist movie in spectacular style, it’s also a 99% female-led production (whoop whoop) and absolutely deserves a place on your watchlist, stat.

Drawing inspiration from Thelma & Louise and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, with gritty visuals straight out of a spaghetti western and a wink of Risky Business mischief (including a hilarious solo dance scene to rival Tom’s sock sliding), Frauds is all swagger with a darkly comic edge. Muddy got an early look at episode one. Trust us, it does not disappoint. Here’s what to expect.

So, what’s it all about?

Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker in Frauds

Frauds focuses on the fractured friendship of pickpocketing double act Bert (Jones) and Sam (Whittaker), who have been estranged for a decade due to Bert’s incarceration. Yet when Bert is released from prison early on compassionate grounds, it’s Sam she calls – and not just for a catch-up. She’s got her sights set on the art heist of the century, and she wants her old partner-in-crime back by her side.

Episode one hurls you straight into the reunion, with Sam driving out to collect Bert from prison. Edwyn Collins’ A Girl Like You blares over the opening scene, and fittingly so. We’ve all known a girl like Bert before: magnetic, chaotic, and always the one who gets you into trouble. She’s daring, manipulative, a barrel of laughs – and absolutely impossible to say no to.

Sam, now living a quiet, solitary life in the Spanish hills, doesn’t stand a chance. Bert wastes no time turning on the charm (and the pressure) to talk her into one last job. The “convincing” involves breaking and entering, petty theft, fake robberies, more than a few ‘for old time’s sakes’, tomato throwing, dancing with chickens, and chicken dancing. Eventually, Sam caves – because, as Bert reminds her, once a con, always a con. Their dynamic is electric, but also laced with tension. You can see the cracks in this already toxic friendship begin to deepen…

From the opener of episode two, you can expect sleight of hand, misdirection, and some criminally good outfit changes. In short: Frauds has it all – but it’s the chemistry between Jones and Whittaker that makes it unmissable.

Who else is in it?

As if Jones and Whittaker weren’t enough, the supporting cast is chef’s kiss, with each character arriving with a cracking backstory and a skillset that promises plenty of plot twists ahead. Talisa Garcia (Baptiste), is brilliant as Miss Take, the seedy-club drag queen who mentored the girls in the art of the con. Elizabeth Berrington (Waterloo Road) plays an amazing magician now relegated to being the silent star of her husband’s (Lee Boardman) magic act. And then there’s Karan Gill (I May Destroy You), who shines as the forger-extraordinaire with a flair for fakes.

Where was it filmed?

Primarily shot in Tenerife, the rugged cliffs and dusty ravines become almost a character in themselves – dramatic, wild, and full of secrets. Expect plenty of sun-bleached vistas, winding hilltop roads, and some gloriously chintzy nightclub scenes that wouldn’t look out of place on an 18-30 holiday.

When and where can I watch it?

Frauds is coming to ITV1 and ITVX from Sun 5 Oct, until then, check out the trailer below.

So, what’s it all about?

Who else is in it?

Where was it filmed?

When and where can I watch it?

IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?

Watch out! Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker are coming for your wallets

You may also like