The Dropout: True story of Elizabeth Holmes Theranos scandal explained, did it ever work and where is she now?

The Dropout tells the terrifying story of Elizabeth Holmes and the fall from grace of her tech company Theranos. The ambitious former Stanford student claimed to have invented a machine that could test blood from just a single drop, which if true would have revolutionised the medical field, however there was just one catch - it was all a con.

Once named America's youngest female billionaire, her dramatic decline is showcased in The Dropout, which is set to air on BBC One. Starring Amanda Seyfried the seven-part series tells everything we need to know about Holmes and what happened in the aftermath.

Is The Dropout based on a true story?

The Dropout is based on the true story of Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos blood testing scandal. Holmes, who founded Theranos when she was just 19-years-old, was at one point named America’s youngest female billionaire. She conned investors after it was revealed that her company’s revolutionary blood testing technology was entirely fictitious.

Did the Theranos machine ever work?

Holmes claimed Theranos had developed blood tests that needed only a single drop of blood to work as they used automated devices for testing that the company had developed. However, their claims were proven to be false which led to their investors losing billions.

Where is Elizabeth Holmes now?

Holmes is currently in prison in Texas. Following a high profile trial she was convicted of fraud and conspiracy on multiple charges of defrauding investors and sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in prison, but according to ABC News, she will serve just nine and is due to be released on December 29, 2032.

The Dropout on BBC One - how to watch

The Dropout is available to watch on BBC One, on Tuesday, March 19 at 10.40pm. The series is made up of seven episodes and previously aired on Disney+ in 2022.

Sarah McCann is a Trends Writer for NationalWorld who specialises in stories around TV, Film and Health. If you liked this article you can follow Sarah on X (Twitter) here. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.