Joan is a thrilling six-part drama on ITV1 and ITVX that tells the true story of Joan Hannington and her notorious rise in the 1980s as one of the best diamond thieves. In a desperate bid to escape her troubled past and provide for her daughter, Joan embarks on a tumultuous life of crime.
Here's a recap of everything that happened in Joan episode 4.
The fourth episode opens at a jewellers as Joan and Boisie buy a ring for their engagement. As they head to Hannington Antiques, the police approach them and ask to come inside. They're looking for the stolen painting. Spooked, Joan says they need to go straight from now on or she'll never get Kelly back. Joan then takes Kelly out for the day and shares the news of her engagement.
At the pub, Boisie talks to Albie about selling the painting, despite Joan wanting to go straight. Albie suggests they sell it to the Irish, the IRA, as they need help moving money overseas. Boisie is hesitant to get involved with the Irish. Back at the shop, Joan suggests they turn it into a jewellers, but Boisie tells her she needs to learn about the trade properly. Taking this onboard, Joan enrols in a course.
It's the night before the wedding. Boisie tells Albie he wants to go straight, but that he'll sell to the Irish. Albie says they'll need an expert to prove it's legit. Boisie says he'll ask the auctioneer who gave him the tip off in the first place. At the flat, Nancy says she wishes Joan had invited their parents to come along.
At the wedding, they celebrate. Albie dances with Joan and both Boisie and Val are watching. Nancy starts to question how well Joan knows Boisie, but he comes over and gives her money to take a taxi back to the Ashburys with Kelly.
Joan begins her course, impressing the lecturer with her knowledge. They learn how to check if a diamond is real or fake. Meanwhile, Boisie goes to ask Hugo, the auctioneer, to validate the Stubbs painting. He refuses and Boisie says that whoever he does get in, Hugo needs to make it seem like they work there and teach them everything he knows. Boisie wants Joan to do it, but she refuses, especially when she learns he didn't throw the painting away and is still doing dodgy work.
The undercover cop, Tom, pays Joan another visit. This time he shows her a mock-up from the art robbery that looks just like her. He says he'll make it all go away if she sells out a bigger criminal. She refuses. Boisie sees Joan get dropped back and she explains what happened.
That night, Joan sneaks out to Boisie's warehouse. As she's about to light the painting on fire, Boisie comes in and stops her. He tells her that he can't call the deal off because the Irish are waiting. Angrily, she agrees to be the fake auctioneer.
With a posh accent, dressed up in disguise, and calling herself Jessica Cunningham, Joan arrives at the auctioneers to learn the trade. After, she goes to meet Boisie, Albie, and the two Irishmen at the pub. They insist she goes with Sean to the hotel to authenticate the painting and Boisie stays with Michael in the pub.
Once she's successfully acted as an auctioneer, Michael receives a call from them at the pub and thanks Boisie for the painting, but that they won't be paying him and the deal is off. He can't argue with the Irish, so he leaves. Meanwhile, at the hotel just as Joan is about to leave, the police charge in and arrest them both.
Outside the hotel, Tom comes to speak with Joan. He says he tried to offer her a way out, but that because she refused, he's been following her. The final scene cuts to Joan being read her rights as she's taken into prison. Inside, Joan tries desperately to call Kelly, but Mrs Ashbury picks up and refuses to let her speak while she's in prison and hangs up the phone.
All episodes of Joan are available to stream on ITV now.
