Kenneth Branagh has been tapped to play U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Michael Winterbottom’s “This Sceptred Isle.”
The five-part limited series will depict the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.K., Johnson’s handling of the crisis and the response of health care workers and scientists, as they battle the deadly virus.
The series, co-written by Winterbottom and Kieron Quirke, is based on first-hand testimony from hospitals and care homes in the U.K., Number 10 Downing Street, the Department of Health and The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.
Winterbottom will direct all five episodes and executive produce with Richard Brown. Melissa Parmenter will produce with Josh Hyams and Anthony Wilcox.
“The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic will be remembered forever. A time when the country came together to battle an invisible enemy. A time when people were more aware than ever of the importance of community,” Winterbottom said in a statement on Saturday. “Our series weaves together countless true stories – from Boris Johnson in Number 10 to front line workers around the country — chronicling the efforts of scientists, doctors, care home workers and policy makers to protect us from the virus.”
“The Sceptred Isle” is the first project from a multi-look deal for a scripted drama series struck by Fremantle and Passenger with Revolution Films.
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