Fran Drescher Reveals the Real-Life Inspiration behind "The Nanny" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 01-09-2026, 12:07 AM

Fran Drescher Reveals the Real-Life Inspiration behind "The Nanny" Involving the Daughter of a Famous Friend
by Raechal Shewfelt
January 8, 2026

"The Nanny" might never have come about if it weren't for star Fran Drescher's friendship with Twiggy.

"I was visiting Twiggy in London — I'd done that short-lived series with her — and she and her husband were working," Drescher told PEOPLE, referring to 1991's Princesses. (In that one, Drescher and the model/actress costarred with Julie Hagerty in the comedy about three women living together in Manhattan.)

"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," Drescher continued. "And she all of a sudden says, 'Hey, Fran, my new shoes are hurting me.' And I'm thinking, 'Why is she telling me? Does she want me to take her home? Because I'm not ready yet.'"

Her reaction was not unlike one that Fran on the show would have.

"I said, 'Oh, honey, just step on the backs of them.' And she said innocently, 'Won't that break them?' And I said, 'Break them in.' 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 called her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson, who would eventually create and write the show with her. They had been searching for a project to present in a meeting they had scheduled with a TV executive.

"I said, 'I think I have the idea. What do you think about a spin on The Sound of Music, only instead of Julie Andrews, I come to the door," recalled Drescher, who's continued to act in projects such as the Golden Globe-nominated film Marty Supreme.

"And he thought for only a moment, and he said, 'That's it. That's the show we're going to pitch to CBS. The minute you get home, we'll flesh it out. We'll develop it a little more.' And that's what we went in with, without what they call a log line, and they green-lighted it right there."

https://ew.com/fran-drescher-reveals...nanny-11882118

01-09-2026, 12:07 AM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,275	Fran Drescher Reveals the Real-Life Inspiration behind "The Nanny" *Fran Drescher Reveals the Real-Life Inspiration behind "The Nanny" Involving the Daughter of a Famous Friend* by Raechal Shewfelt January 8, 2026 "The Nanny" might never have come about if it weren't for star Fran Drescher's friendship with Twiggy. "I was visiting Twiggy in London — I'd done that short-lived series with her — and she and her husband were working," Drescher told PEOPLE, referring to 1991's Princesses. (In that one, Drescher and the model/actress costarred with Julie Hagerty in the comedy about three women living together in Manhattan.) "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," Drescher continued. "And she all of a sudden says, 'Hey, Fran, my new shoes are hurting me.' And I'm thinking, 'Why is she telling me? Does she want me to take her home? Because I'm not ready yet.'" Her reaction was not unlike one that Fran on the show would have. "I said, 'Oh, honey, just step on the backs of them.' And she said innocently, 'Won't that break them?' And I said, 'Break them in.' 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 called her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson, who would eventually create and write the show with her. They had been searching for a project to present in a meeting they had scheduled with a TV executive. "I said, 'I think I have the idea. What do you think about a spin on The Sound of Music, only instead of Julie Andrews, I come to the door," recalled Drescher, who's continued to act in projects such as the Golden Globe-nominated film Marty Supreme. "And he thought for only a moment, and he said, 'That's it. That's the show we're going to pitch to CBS. The minute you get home, we'll flesh it out. We'll develop it a little more.' And that's what we went in with, without what they call a log line, and they green-lighted it right there." https://ew.com/fran-drescher-reveals...nanny-11882118