Marty Supreme star Fran Drescher has shared how The Nanny was inspired by a real moment from her own life. In the 1993 sitcom, she played Fran Fine, a woman who becomes a nanny for a wealthy British family. Drescher explained how a trip to London, a famous friend, and an unexpected situation involving a child helped spark the idea for the beloved show.
Fran Drescher reveals how she drew inspiration from real life for The Nanny
In an interview with PEOPLE, Fran Drescher said The Nanny almost never happened, but a visit with her friend Twiggy changed everything. She explained that she was visiting Twiggy in London while working on a short-lived series together.
“I was visiting Twiggy in London — I’d done that short-lived series with her — and she and her husband were working. So I ended up with their 12-year-old daughter, schlepping her all over London with me so I would have a companion to go touring with,” she said.
She recalled one moment that stood out. The girl told her, “Hey, Fran, my new shoes are hurting me.” Drescher said she thought, “And I’m thinking, ‘Why is she telling me? Does she want me to take her home? Because I’m not ready yet.'”
Instead of reacting like a typical adult, Drescher gave advice that benefited herself. She told the girl, “‘Oh, honey, just step on the backs of them.’ And she said innocently, ‘Won’t that break them?’ And I said, ‘Break them in.'”
That moment stuck with her. She realized the humor came from the unusual dynamic between an adult and a child. “And I just couldn’t get this unorthodox relationship between an adult and a child out of my head because I wasn’t telling her what was good for her. I was telling her what was good for me. I didn’t want to sacrifice my afternoon for her. I wanted her to break her shoes in so I could keep touring London!”
She immediately called her then-husband and creative partner, Peter Marc Jacobson, with an idea inspired by The Sound of Music, but with herself as the lead. He loved it right away. When they pitched it to CBS, the network approved it on the spot.
The Nanny aired for six seasons from 1993 to 1999 and remains popular through reruns and streaming platforms.
Originally reported by Ojas Kulkarni on ComingSoon.net.
