EastEnders’ original Penny Branning actress looked worlds away from her BBC alter-ego as it was revealed she had bagged a role on a new ITV drama. 

Mia McKenna-Bruce, 27, who played the character in 2008, is next set to star in four-part drama series, The Lady. 

In an update shared to ITV’s Instagram, the broadcaster released a stunning new pH๏τo and gave details of the show. 

The caption read: ‘Mia McKenna-Bruce, Natalie Dormer, and Ed Speleers will lead an all-star cast in The Lady.

‘A new 4-part drama series about Jane Andrews, a former royal aide whose rags to riches fairy tale fell apart when she was convicted of murder.’

The series is based on the real life, Jane, now 57, who beat her wealthy partner Tom Cressman, 39, in bed and stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife at their flat in Fulham, West London, in 2000.

EastEnders’ original Penny Branning actress looked worlds away from her BBC alter-ego as it was revealed she had bagged a role on a new ITV drama

Mia McKenna-Bruce, 27, who played the character in 2008, is next set to star in four-part drama series, The Lady

She was Sarah Ferguson’s dresser for nine years until 1997, with Mia set to take on the lead role. 

ITV commissioner Helen Ziegler said in a statement to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline: ‘Debbie O’Malley’s compelling and brilliant scripts re-evaluate what we think we know of Jane Andrews and the events that led to the tragic end of Thomas Cressman’s life.’ 

Robert Schildhouse President, BritBox North America and General Manager, BritBox International, added: ‘Inspired by true events, The Lady is a riveting exploration of ambition, desire, and the pursuit of social mobility. 

With a brilliant script penned by Debbie O’Malley, and with the creative partnership of Left Bank Pictures and ITV, we are intent on portraying this true crime drama with nuance and depth.’

After her stint as Penny, Mia went on to play Tee Taylor on the CBBC drama and Tracey Beaker spin-off The Dumping Ground for eight years. 

It August last year, she tied the knot with her actor boyfriend Tom Leach at a country house in Somerset a year after they welcomed their son Leo. 

It’s been a whirlwind few years for the actress after she gave birth to her son Leo and then unexpectedly won BAFTA’s Rising Star award .

Mia hired out the entirety of the 31 bedroom estate, Brympton House, in Yeovil for her family and many actor friends to stay in and celebrate her wedding. 

The caption read: ‘Mia McKenna-Bruce, Natalie Dormer, and Ed Speleers will lead an all-star cast in The Lady. A new 4-part drama series about Jane Andrews, a former royal aide’ 

The series is based on the real life, Jane, now 57, who beat her wealthy partner Tom Cressman, 39, in bed and stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife at their flat in 2000

After her stint as Penny, Mia went on to play Tee Taylor on the CBBC drama and Tracey Beaker spin-off The Dumping Ground for eight years (pictured far right)

It August last year, she tied the knot with her actor boyfriend Tom Leach at a country house in Somerset a year after they welcomed their son Leo 

The soapstar wore a veil and tiara with her floor-length ivory gown which hit a large black medical boot that is currently protecting a broken foot.

She danced to Sweet Caroline on the gravel front of the Grade I listed manor with her friends and new husband who she met in 2019 on the set of the Rebels.

The house was featured in Netflix’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion in 2022 where Mia starred opposite Dakota Johnson’s Anne Elliot as her younger sister, Mary Elliot.

In attendance was the Hollyoaks star and fellow BAFTA winner, Emily Burnett, who Mia met on the set of the CBBC Tracey Beaker spin-off, the Dumping Ground, in 2013.