Boris Johnson drama series starring Kenneth Branagh picked up around the world

Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson in This England

Broadcasters and streamers across 88 territories have acquired the upcoming Sky drama that stars Kenneth Branagh as UK prime minister Boris Johnson during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Partners on the Fremantle-distributed six-part series include Movistar+ (Spain), Viaplay (Nordics, Baltics, Poland and the Netherlands), Cosmote (Greece), OSN TV and OSN+ (MENA), M-Net (South Africa), BBC First (Australia) and TVNZ (New Zealand).

Further deals are due to be announced in the coming weeks, the production and distribution giant said.

Co-written and directed by Michael Winterbottom (The Trip), This England will air this autumn, with commissioning broadcaster Sky launching it in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

In the UK, This England will launch on Sky Atlantic and Sky streaming service Now on September 21. It was commissioned by Gabriel Silver, director of drama commissioning at Sky Studios, for Zai Bennett, the company’s MD of content in the UK.

Produced by Richard Brown’s Passenger (True Detective) and Revolution Films, the series is based on Johnson’s tumultuous first few months as prime minister, tracing the impact on the country of the first wave of the pandemic.

The events in government are interwoven with stories from around the country, from the experts and scientists racing against time; the doctors, nurses and care-home workers working tirelessly and heroically on the frontline; and ordinary people whose lives were thrown into turmoil.

Jens Richter, CEO of international at Fremantle, said: “This England is a unique drama that combines Michael Winterbottom’s talent for conveying powerful real-world stories with a stunning performance from Kenneth Branagh as UK prime minister Boris Johnson.

“This dramatic behind the scenes dramatisation of how the government, the scientists, the medical community and ordinary people around England faced these extraordinary events will fascinate and compel viewers.”