Boris Johnson might be stepping down as Prime Minister next month, but we’ll still be seeing lots of him on our screens in September thanks to the upcoming Sky Atlantic drama This England.
The five-parter, penned by Michael Winterbottom and Kieron Quirke, has just been given a confirmed start date of Wednesday 21st September – and viewers have also been offered another look at Kenneth Branagh playing the outgoing PM.
A one-minute clip posted on Sky’s social media channels teases lots of what’s to come, including a dramatic reading of John of Gaunt’s ‘This sceptered isle’ speech from Shakespeare’s Richard II.
“This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,” Branagh’s Johnson recites at the end of the clip.
The trailer also previews several moments from the show as Johnson struggles to deal with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic – including his stint in intensive care after he tested positive for the virus.
And we also get a glimpse of several other cast members, including Ophelia Lovibond (W1A) as Carrie Symonds, Andrew Buchan (Broadchurch) as Matt Hancock, Shri Patel (Pennyworth) as Rishi Sunak, and Simon Paisley Day (Brexit: The Uncivil War) as Dominic Cummings.
You can watch the trailer in full below:
#ThisEngland, starring BAFTA and Academy Award-winner Kenneth Branagh.
— Sky TV (@skytv) August 18, 2022
Coming to Sky Atlantic, 21 September. pic.twitter.com/lKO3OU5Nkj
The programme – which was initially set to be titled This Sceptered Isle – promises to take viewers “inside the halls of power” where decisions were being made that would change the lives of so many across the country.
In addition to the political drama unfolding behind the doors of No. 10, the series will also explore the impact on the frontlines, with stories from doctors, nurses and care home workers, as well as scientists racing to find a vaccine.
The official synopsis reads: “This England, based on Boris Johnson’s tumultuous first months as Prime Minister, traces the impact on the country of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The drama takes us inside the halls of power, as Johnson (Branagh) grapples with Covid-19, Brexit, and a controversial personal and political life.”
This England is coming to Sky Atlantic and NOW on 21st September 2022. Find out how to sign up for Sky TV here. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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