Andrew Buchan and Charles Dance are to headline the cast of a new ITV drama about the Great Fire of London.
Written by journalist and novelist Tom Bradby, The Great Fire also stars Rose Leslie, Jack Huston and Daniel Mays and is being made by Ecosse Films for ITV.
The four-part drama interweaves historical knowledge with fictional stories and tells the story of the catastrophic fire against the decadent backdrop of King Charles II’s court.
It focuses on Thomas Farriner’s (Buchan) family life at the bakery in Pudding Lane, the playboy King’s extravagant lifestyle, and Farriner’s complex relationship with his fictional sister in law, Sarah (Leslie).
ITV says the sights and sounds of 17th Century London will be recreated on location in Kent, Surrey, Oxfordshire and central London and that the production will use “pyrotechnics and special effects, as opposed to CGI,” to create the fire sequences as London burns.
The drama will unfold over four consecutive days as the fire indiscriminately takes hold of the city and the people desperately attempt to overcome the flames.
“In 1666 London was the greatest city in the world with a population of 300,000. In just four days The Great Fire destroyed nearly half the city and threatened the monarchy,” said executive producer Douglas Rae.
“It’s a fascinating premise for a drama and creates the perfect backdrop for Tom Bradby to be at his most creative. We have assembled an amazing cast and production team and we’re looking forward to filming Tom’s fantastic scripts,” added Douglas.
