By James Hibbs

Published: Wednesday, 28 September 2022 at 12:00 am

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New Sky drama This England details the UK’s response to COVID-19 in the early months of the pandemic, but is perhaps best known as the series which stars Sir Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson.

Branagh is uncanny as the former Prime Minister, wearing full prosthetics to look like Johnson. However, he isn’t the only star playing a real-life figure in the series.

With Ophelia Lovibond playing Johnson’s wife Carrie, Andrew Buchan playing former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Simon Paisley Day playing Dominic Cummings, This England certainly has a stacked cast.

But who else appears in the central cast for the sweeping and broad-scale series, and who are the real people they portray? Read on for everything you need to know about the central cast of This England.

Sir Kenneth Branagh plays Boris Johnson

Who is Boris Johnson? Boris Johnson is the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic was coming off of a landslide election win for the Conservatives. He also had a baby on the way with his fiancée Carrie Symonds.

Where have I seen Sir Kenneth Branagh before? Branagh has had a long and storied career as both an actor and director. He has previously starred in Wallander, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and as Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, both of which he directed, as well as in many other roles. He also director the first Thor and wrote and directed this year’s Oscar winner Belfast.

Ophelia Lovibond plays Carrie Symonds (later Johnson)

Phil Fisk/Sky and Patrick Semansky/POOL/AFP/Getty

Who is Carrie Johnson? Carrie Johnson (née Symonds) is the wife of Boris Johnson. She had previously been a Conservative Party media official and during the early months of the pandemic was expecting her first child, Wilfred.

Where have I seen Ophelia Lovibond before? Lovibond has played Carina in multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, and is also known for appearing in Rocketman, Man Up, Elementary and Minx.

Andrew Buchan plays Matt Hancock

Sky/Phil Fisk and Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Who is Matt Hancock? Matt Hancock is the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, who was in the role during the first year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Where have I seen Andrew Buchan before? Buchan is best known for appearing in series such as Broadchurch, Garrow’s Law, The Crown, Industry, The ABC Murders and Alex Rider, while he has also appeared in films such as Sir Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World.

Simon Paisley Day plays Dominic Cummings

Sky/Phil Fisk and Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Who is Dominic Cummings? Dominic Cummings is a political strategist who was director of Vote Leave during the Brexit campaign and subsequently Chief Adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson until November 2020.

Where have I seen Simon Paisley Day before? Paisley Day played General Quinn in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and has history with Dominic Cummings-related projects, having previously appeared in Brexit: The Uncivil War alongside Benedict Cumberbatch. He has also appeared in series such as Doctor Who, The Crown and Sherlock.

Derek Barr plays Lee Cain

Phil Fisk/Sky UK and Leon Neal/Getty Images

Who is Lee Cain? Lee Cain is a PR professional who served as Downing Street Director of Communications until the end of 2020.

Where have I seen Derek Barr before? Barr has appeared in series such as Casualty and Little Boy Blue, as well as films including Journey’s End.

Shri Patel plays Rishi Sunak

Phil Fisk/Sky UK and Alberto Pezzali/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Who is Rishi Sunak? Rishi Sunak is the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, who served in Boris Johnson’s Government, after replacing Sajid Javid in the role.

Where have I seen Shri Patel before? Patel has previously appeared in Emmerdale and Pennyworth.

Jimmy Livingstone plays Chris Whitty

Phil Fisk/Sky and Leon Neal – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Who is Chris Whitty? Chris Whitty is an epidemiologist who has served as Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government since 2019.

Where have I seen Jimmy Livingstone before? Livingstone previously appeared in The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret but is best known for voicing characters in games such as Elden Ring.

Alec Nicholls as Patrick Vallance

Phil Fisk/Sky and Leon Neal – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Who is Patrick Vallance? Patrick Vallance is a physician and scientist who has served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government since 2018.

Where have I seen Alec Nicholls before? Nicholls has previously appeared in series such as The Crown, Doc Martin and The Midwich Cuckoos.

Anthony Howell plays Neil Ferguson

Sky/Rory Mulvey and Thomas Angus, Imperial College London/Creative Commons

Who is Neil Ferguson? Neil Ferguson is an epidemiologist who headed up the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team and was a government advisor on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies in the early months of the pandemic.

Where have I seen Anthony Howell before? Howell has appeared in Luther, Shetland and Foyle’s War, and has also provided voices for numerous video games.

Charles Dance plays Max Hastings

Sky/Alison Painter and Roberto Ricciuti/Getty Images

Who is Max Hastings? Charles Dance has a cameo at the start of the series as journalist Max Hastings, who has worked as a foreign correspondent for the BBC, editor-in-chief of The Daily Telegraph, and editor of the Evening Standard.

Where have I seen Charles Dance before? Dance is a prolific star of both TV and film, having appeared in Game of Thrones as Tywin Lannister, The Crown as Lord Mountbatten, David Fincher’s Mank and The Imitation Game amongst many other projects.

All six episodes of This England are available now on Sky and NOW – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.

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