Life of disgraced MP John Stonehouse after he faked own death and his motive
ITV drama Stonehouse had viewers hooked by the end of Monday night's shocking opening episode - and it's no surprise fans are keen to know all about the real former Labour MP.
Starring Succession actor Matthew Macfadyen and Bodyguard star Keeley Hawes, the three-part series explores the rise and fall of John Stonehouse, who faked his own death in 1974.
The public and media presumed the 49-year-old politician had drowned at sea or had been eaten by sharks after a pile of his clothes were left on Miami beach.
But the seemingly devoted family man actually left behind his loving wife Barbara Smith and three young children for an affair with his secretary, Sheila Buckley, in Australia.
Matthew Macfadyen plays John Stonehouse in the three-part drama series (ITV)While police investigated his mysterious 'death', Stonehouse embarked on a new secret life with a dead man's passport, far from his younger RAF days and Labour duties.
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Though his 'happily ever after' soon turned sour as Stonehouse was arrested by Australian police who had mistaken him for fugitive Lord Lucan.
Stonehouse on ITV shares the true story of a former labour MP (ITV)The fraudster sought asylum in Mauritius and Sweden to avoid a trial in Britain, but was eventually returned to London by Scotland Yard detectives.
Stonehouse still acted as MP for Walsall North from prison, before he was released on bail in August 1975 and gave a speech in the House of Commons, blaming a mental breakdown for his 'death'.
He said: "I assumed a new parallel personality that took over from me, which was foreign to me and which despised the humbug and sham of the past years of my public life."
Stonehouse in 1959 before he faked his own death on a Miami beach (Mirrorpix via Getty Images)The following year, he was on trial for charges of fraud, theft, forgery, conspiracy to defraud, causing a false police investigation and wasting police time.
Stonehouse's trial lasted 68 days and in August 1976, he was found guilty and jailed for seven years in Wormwood Scrubs.
The runaway politician finally resigned from Parliament then suffered three heart attacks and underwent open heart surgery during his time in prison.
Stonehouse was released early for good behaviour in 1979 and Barbara divorced him, then two years later he married his mistress Sheila and had their son.
Attempting to turn his life around, Stonehouse set up a small firm manufacturing electronic hotel safes and made several media appearances discussing his disappearance.
What happened to John Stonehouse?
The ex-politician leaving prison in 1979 after seven years behind bars (Getty Images)Stonehouse died of a heart attack at the age of 62 on April 14, 1988, in Southampton.
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Just weeks prior, he collapsed in Birmingham while appearing on Central Live to talk about missing people in March.
Stonehouse survived but then he suffered his fourth heart attack and his former mistress-turned-wife Sheila stated paramedics weren't able to revive him.
Was John Stonehouse a spy?
John Stonehouse (left) died in 1988 and was accused of being a Czech spy (PA)John Stonehouse denied being a Czech spy up until his death, and his daughter Julia Stonehouse maintained this belief, describing him instead as "one of the most maligned men in British history".
In her book John Stonehouse, My Father: The True Story of the Runaway MP,she clearly states her father was not a spy for Czechoslovakia - though other family members disagree.
Her cousin Julian Hayes also wrote a book called Stonehouse Cabinet Minister, Fraudster, Spy,claiming that his uncle was indeed a spy.
The accusations date back to 1969 and came from Josef Frolík, a defector from the Czech secret services - but at the time, Stonehouse defended himself and remained in office.
Later in 2010, classified government papers were released showing that Margaret Thatcher's attorney general, Sir Michael Havers, was "sure that Mr Stonehouse had been a spy for the Czechoslovakians" - but he had no evidence.
Stonehouse airs on Tuesday 3 January at 9pm on ITV
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