First Michael Sheen images as Prince Andrew

The first images have been released of Michael Sheen playing Prince Andrew in a drama based on his notorious BBC interview.

The Welsh actor portrays the Duke of York in A Very Royal Scandal, when he spoke to Emily Maitlis on BBC Two’s Newsnight.

The three-part drama, produced by Amazon MGM Studios, shows how he declared his innocence following accusations about his involvement with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.

Alongside Sheen as Prince Andrew, the series stars Ruth Wilson as Emily Maitlis.

Ms Giuffre alleged that the incidents took place in London, New York, and the Virgin Islands after being introduced to the duke by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

This is not the first time the interview has been adapted for the big screen, with Netflix’s Scoop starring Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew and Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis having already been released.

Sheen is known for his transformative performances, and has put his own spin on figures such as TV presenters David Frost, in Frost/Nixon, and Chris Tarrant in the ITV drama Quiz, and football manager Brian Clough in The Damned United.

A Very Royal Scandal is said to be no different, with Sheen reflecting Prince Andrew’s mannerisms.

The actor is known for combining acting with activism on issues such as homelessness, and earlier this year directed and starred in BBC Wales’ The Way, a fictional story set in his home town of Port Talbot and its threatened steelworks.

A Very Royal Scandal is the latest in Amazon’s Scandal series, which has seen the online streamer collaborate with the BBC on A Very British Scandal and A Very English Scandal.

Amazon MGM Studios said the series would demonstrate “the power of journalism through a pivotal moment in British history.”

The cast also includes Joanna Scanlan as Amanda Thirsk, Alex Jennings as Sir Edward Young, Éanna Hardwicke as Stewart Maclean and Claire Rushbrook as Sarah Ferguson.

A Very Royal Scandal will debut on Prime Video on 19 September.