BBC One’s drama The Trial of Christine Keeler delves into the political scandal that shook the UK establishment and contributed to the fall of the Conservative government in the 1960s.

As viewers are taken behind the headlines of the Profumo affair, they are introduced to the young 19-year-old model Christine Keeler, the woman at the centre of it all.

Though the drama, which stars actress Sophie Cookson in the role of Keeler, focuses on scandal, it also shows the model’s personal life away from John Profumo and her friendship with Mandy Rice-Davies, played by Ellie Bamber.

But who is Mandy Rice-Davies and what happened to her? Here’s all you need to know:

Who is Mandy Rice Davies?

Rice-Davies was born in Wales and lived there with her family until she travelled to London at the age of 16.

She went on to get a job as a dancer at Murray’s Cabaret Club in Soho, which is where she met and became friends with Keeler. It was Keeler who introduced her to socialite Stephen Ward.

During their friendship, Rice-Davies would often visit Keeler at Ward’s home at Wimpole Mews, and even lived there for a short period in 1962 after Keeler had moved out.

How was she involved in the Profumo affair?

Rice-Davies never met Profumo. However, her link to Stephen Ward and his social set was brought to public attention amid the trial of Keeler’s ex-boyfriend John Edgecombe, who had attempted to gain access into Wimpole Mews by firing shots through the door and at Keeler.

She later went on to appear as a witness for the trial against Ward in 1963 after he was charged with living off “immoral earnings”. During her time on the stand, she alluded to the affair she had with Lord Astor, who denied it.

It was at Lord Astor’s home at Cliveden that Keeler and Profumo are believed to have met.

When she was told by the defence counsel that Lord Astor had denied the affair and all of knowledge of them ever meeting, Rice-Davies replied: “Well he would, wouldn’t he?” Her now-famed response features in the in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.

What happened to Mandy Rice-Davies?

Following the fallout of the Profumo affair, Rice-Davies went on to release an EP in 1964, titled Introducing Mandy, which included cover versions of songs All I Do Is Dream of You and You Got What It Takes.

In 1966 she married Israeli businessman Rafi Shauli and moved to Israel where she opened up a number of nightclubs. The couple went on to have a daughter and Rice-Davies converted to Judaism.

Later on in life, Rice-Davies went on to star in various television and film productions including Absolutely Fabulous, Nana, the True Key of Pleasure and Absolute Beginners.

Rice-Davies was also closely involved in the development of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Stephen Ward, which opened in 2013 and focused on the osteopath’s involvement in the Profumo affair.

Speaking about Ward during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Midweek, Rice-Davies said: “I didn’t fall for him, but I did have an affair with him.”

It is not known whether Rice-Davies and Keeler kept in touch following the political scandal.

Davies died of cancer at age of 70 in December 2014. She is survived by her husband Ken Foreman and daughter Dana.

When is The Trial of Christine Keeler on TV?

The Trial of Christine Keeler continues on BBC One on Sunday 26 January at 9pm.

All the episodes are available to watch again on the BBC iPlayer following the original broadcast.