8h17 PST 1/23/2021
in
Alex Ritman
‘This Sceptred Isle’ will tell the story of some of the most devastating events that have ever happened to the UK, and of a prime minister leading in these unprecedented times.
Kenneth Branagh will play UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Michael Winterbottom’s next limited series, which traces the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Entitled This Sceptred Isle and produced by Fremantle, Richard Brown’s Passenger and Michael Winterbottom’s Revolution Films, the five-part drama was also chosen by European broadcast giant Comcast Sky to be labeled as an Original Sky series.
This Sceptred Isle will tell the story of some of the most devastating events that have ever happened to the UK, and of a prime minister leading in these unprecedented times. The drama will trace the impact on Britain of this once-in-a-generation pandemic and the response of scientists, nurses and doctors who have worked tirelessly and heroically to contain and overcome the virus.
It is based on the first-hand testimony of people from all walks of life; at 10 Downing Street, the Department of Health, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and hospitals and nursing homes across the country.
Michael Winterbottom co-wrote the series with Kieron Quirke and will direct all five episodes. He will also be executive producer alongside Brown (Passenger). Melissa Parmenter (Revolution Films) will produce alongside Josh Hyams and Anthony Wilcox. Tim Shipman, political editor at The Sunday Times, is acting as a consultant on the series.
This Sceptred Isle it is the first project to emerge from an initial multi-year deal for a scripted drama series celebrated by Fremantle and Passenger with Revolution Films.