Game of Thrones' Kit Harington lines up Guy Fawkes drama for BBC
Working under the title of Gunpowder, the miniseries is set to recount the tale of the Gunpowder Plot partially led by Fawkes in 1605
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Kit Harington is coming to your TV screen in a very different guise to Game of Thrones' brooding Jon Snow.
Variety reports he's set to star in and produce a drama about the infamous Guy Fawkes for the BBC, under the working title of Gunpowder; set to recount the tale of the Gunpowder Plot partially led by Fawkes in 1605, initiated by a group of English Catholics attempting to blow up the Houses of Parliament while King James I was in attendance.
The group hoped the King's death would initiate a revolt in the Midlands, under which James' nine-year-old daughter Elizabeth could be installed as a Catholic head of state; as part of a wider surge of assassination attempts across Europe against Protestant rulers.
Fawkes was discovered in the cellars of the parliament buildings on the night of 4/5 November 1605, guarding a pile of wood not far from 36 barrels of gunpowder which he intended to ignite the following day, during the State Opening of the second session of James' first English Parliament. Fawkes and other co-conspirators were executed.
The miniseries will comprise of three hour-long episodes; perhaps initiated by the fact Harington revealed earlier this year that he was, in fact, related to the lead conspirator of the Gunpowder Plot, Robert Catesby.
The show seems to fall in line with Harington's larger plans to produce his own TV content; telling The Guardian, "I’d love to go back into a top-quality TV show, because that’s where storytelling is at its most exciting and dangerous at the moment. Also, I’ve written three TV shows with my best friend, Dan West, two of which we have sold, so I would like to see myself producing. I met Dan at drama school — we live together and write together. It’s like a sexless marriage.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments