Who was David Blakely and how did Ruth Ellis kill him?

DAVID Blakely was a racing driver who was murdered by his girlfriend Ruth Ellis, after he mistreated her throughout their relationship.

The days leading up to her death at Ruth’s hands will be dramatized in upcoming ITV series A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis.

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Born runner

Blakely was born in Ecclesall, Sheffield, to a Scottish father and an Irish mother.

His parents separated when he was young, and his mother later married a man named Humphrey Wyndham Cook in 1941.

Blakely was educated at Shrewsbury and became interested in motor racing at an early age.

Driving his beloved HRG racing car, he took second place at Brands Hatch on Boxing Day 1954 and enjoyed even greater success.

During the period 1951-1953 he finished 1st, 3rd, 4th and 6th at Silverstone and Goodwood.

However, Blakely’s career was cut short after a brief relationship with future murderess Ruth Ellis.

Killed by his girlfriend

Ruth was a nightclub manager who worked in west London after moving to the British capital from Berkshire.

She survived a difficult upbringing, where she was abused by her father, which forced her to leave home at a very young age.

Ruth had a baby at the age of 18 and worked as an escort, before becoming a nightclub manager and making many famous friends.

Blakely began dating Ruth in 1953, but their relationship quickly became strained and extremely volatile.

The racing driver physically abused his new girlfriend and even caused her to miscarry in 1955, after a particularly violent incident.

On Easter Sunday that year, Ruth took a taxi to meet Blakely while armed with a gun.

Seeing the runner, she jumped out of the taxi and shot him six times.

After killing her ex-partner, Ruth asked Blakely’s friend a simple question: “Do you want to call the police, Clive?”

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Ruth in court

At the Old Bailey court, Ruth wore a fitted black suit and had her hair dyed platinum blonde.

When asked if she intended to kill Blakely, she replied: “It’s obvious that when I shot him, I intended to kill him.”

Ruth was convicted of murder within twenty minutes of jury deliberation and was subsequently executed on July 12, 1955.

In the days before her hanging, Ruth wrote to Blakely’s parents to tell them that she would “always die loving” their son.

His death was extremely controversial and launched a national debate that led to the abolition of capital punishment.

A cruel love

Ruth’s incredible story and violent romance will be explored in ITV drama A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis story.

The nightclub manager will be played by Lucy Boynton and DCI Davies, the man who caught Ruth, will be played by Joe Armstrong.

Fans will be able to see the series, which will star Blakely, when it debuts in 2025.