The Mirror understands US streaming execs, as well as several British producers, have expressed an interest in a television documentary about Sarah Ferguson’s life, with one American bid said to be worth $1.75m (£1.3m)
Cash-strapped Sarah Ferguson is weighing a controversial £1.3million return to the spotlight as she explores a television documentary about her life.
However, the disgraced former Duchess of York is said to be torn between the need for money and her daughters’ position within the Royal family. Ferguson is understood to be open to the right deal, with discussions focusing on her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
She has continued to maintain she was unaware of any criminal wrongdoing and has described herself as a “victim” in the wider scandal, while also defending her former husband, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. But at the same time, the 66-year-old is said to be acutely conscious of the wider implications for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who remain members of the Royal Family.
A source said: “Sarah knows she needs the money and she’s open to the right television opportunity, but she’s also very aware of the tightrope she’s walking. Her daughters are part of the Royal Family, and anything she does reflects on them.”
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They added: “There’s a real sense she wants, in fact needs, to tell her side of the story, but she knows it has to be handled carefully. She can’t ignore the reality of how this looks, especially given Andrew’s close relationship with the paedophile.”
The Mirror understands US streaming execs, as well as several British producers, have expressed an interest, with one American bid said to be worth $1.75m (£1.3m). However, representatives of Fergie have stated she does not feel able to film in the States, given the growing anger around the Epstein case.
She is also understood to be developing material for a new autobiography, suggesting a broader attempt to reshape public perception. The release of half of the US Government’s Epstein Files exposed her relationship with the sex offender, the money he loaned her, and the advice he provided in her crises. Fergie is actively mapping out chapters for a new autobiography too.
A friend of Fergie, who had discussed media projects over many years, revealed: “Sarah remains steadfast that she did nothing wrong or illegal and believes she has a right to clear her name. The Epstein Files may have exposed the depth of the friendship between the pair, but she maintains that ‘I did nothing wrong’.
“And that stance has turned into: ‘I want to tell the world my version of events with a documentary’. And yes, can you believe it? She will insist that she was a victim too of Epstein and was misled by him.
“As jaw-dropping as that is, she has asked friends in LA and London whether they can connect her to producers and film-makers. She believes that America offers the best opportunity for this to happen. And she has not ruled out returning there once ‘it all blows over’. If she is delusional? That depends on who will work with her. One thing is for sure she is determined.”
The source added: “There are obviously many questions for Sarah to answer which could do with her own show. But just what this means for Andrew has yet to be seen.
“They have had a fractious relationship in the last year at times, with her pushing the blame on him to friends. Again, it is her view that she was misled. How she deals with Andrew’s conduct will be fascinating.”
Last week, Ferguson was pictured in Austria, where she has been hiding out since more details of her relationship with Epstein emerged in January. The former Duchess, who was stripped of her title last year, had not been seen for 213 days before being photographed in a quiet Alpine ski village.
She appeared stony-faced as she stepped from a blacked-out Mercedes people carrier near her chalet on Wednesday. Wearing a blue coat and a white baseball cap pulled low over her distinctive red hair, and carrying a teal raffia tote, the mother of two cut a low-profile figure after effectively going to ground.
Her disappearance came in the wake of the Epstein Files, which revealed a series of damaging emails detailing her relationship with the convicted sex offender, who died in prison in 2019. US lawmakers have since called on Ferguson to testify before Congress about her “close personal and business ties” to Epstein. She has yet to respond.
Questions over her future have intensified after she abruptly closed six of her businesses in the space of three days in February. Meanwhile, her former husband has also faced renewed turmoil, and her daughters are reported to be keeping their distance.
