Happy Valley's James Norton's new BBC period drama shares update and new cast

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James Norton's new BBC period drama shares updateRed Productions

James Norton's upcoming BBC period drama King and Conqueror has now wrapped filming in Iceland.

The eight-part historical drama, in which the Happy Valley star will take on the role of Harold, Earl of Wessex, confirmed the update today along with a list of new cast announcements.

Jason Forbes – recently starring in Prime Video's My Lady Jane – joins the project as Thane Thomas, along with Industry's Indy Lewis.

Other new names to be revealed for King and Conqueror are Elander Moore (Interview with a Vampire), Ingvar Sigurdsson (Trapped), Ines Asserson and Sveinn ólafur Gunnarsson.

james norton as tommy lee royce, happy valley series 3
BBC

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They join Norton and the previously-announced Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, of Game of Thrones, who will portray William, Duke of Normandy, as well as Eddie Marsan (Back to Black) as King Edward and Juliet Stevenson who takes on Lady Emma.

The series, which will air on BBC One and streaming service BBC iPlayer, has been written by Sherlock Holmes' Michael Robert Johnson and will focus on the two historical figures destined to meet at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

"In the UK, we learn about William the Conqueror, the Battle of Hastings and King Harold's gruesome death in our school history lessons – but those headlines are all most of us can remember," head of BBC programme acquisition Sue Deeks previously said.

jaime lannister played by nikolaj coster waldau on game of thrones
HBO

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"King and Conqueror will bring Harold and William to life, depicting their lives, loves and families, and the gripping, high-stakes power game that led to their fateful meeting in 1066.

"With incredible talent both in front of and behind the camera, I cannot wait for this exciting project to be realised."

The official synopsis for the period drama reads: "King and Conqueror is the story of a clash that defined the future of a country – and a continent – for a thousand years, the roots of which stretch back decades and extend out through a pair of interconnected family dynasties, struggling for power across two countries and a raging sea..."

As well as taking a starring role, Norton is also acting as executive producer alongside Kitty Kaletsky for Rabbit Track Pictures.

Elsewhere, the creative team also includes Baltasar Kormákur (as director of the first episode, as well as an EP), The Development Partnership, Shepherd Content and CBS Studios.

King and Conqueror will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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