Belgravia (TV series)
Belgravia | |
---|---|
Genre | Historical period drama |
Based on | Belgravia by Julian Fellowes |
Written by | Julian Fellowes |
Directed by | John Alexander |
Composer | John Lunn |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 6 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | Colin Wratten |
Running time | Approx 45mins |
Production company | Carnival Films |
Original release | |
Network | |
Release | 15 March 19 April 2020 | –
Belgravia is a historical drama television series based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Julian Fellowes—both named after Belgravia, an affluent district of London. The limited series, a co-production between Carnival Films and American cable network Epix, is adapted by Fellowes from his novel, and reunites the award-winning team behind Downton Abbey with Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant executive producing alongside Liz Trubridge and Fellowes. Belgravia is directed by John Alexander, and produced by Colin Wratten.[1]
The series premiered in the UK on ITV on 15 March 2020 and in the U.S. on 12 April 2020 on Epix.[2][3][4]
Premise
Belgravia begins at the Duchess of Richmond's ball (night of 15/16 June 1815), which was held in Brussels for the Duke of Wellington on the eve of the Battle of Quatre Bras, two days before the Battle of Waterloo.
Among the guests are James and Anne Trenchard, who are living on the profits of newfound trading success. Their young daughter Sophia has caught the eye of Edmund Bellasis, the son and heir of one of the richest and most prominent families in England. Twenty-five years later, when the two families are settled into the newly developed area of Belgravia, the events of the ball, and the secrets, still resonate.[5]
Cast
- Philip Glenister as James Trenchard
- Tamsin Greig as Anne Trenchard
- Emily Reid as Sophia Trenchard, daughter of James and Anne
- Jeremy Neumark Jones as Edmund, Lord Bellasis, son of the Earl and Countess of Brockenhurst
- Nicholas Rowe as Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
- James Chalmers as Sir William Ponsonby
- Gunnar DeYoung as Prince of Orange
- Jack Bardoe as Charles Pope
- Richard Goulding as Oliver Trenchard, son of James and Anne
- Alice Eve as Susan Trenchard, childless wife of Oliver
- Harriet Walter as Caroline, Countess of Brockenhurst
- Tom Wilkinson as Peregrine, Earl of Brockenhurst
- Diana Kent as Duchess of Richmond
- Robert Portal as Duke of Richmond
- Paul Ritter as Turton, Butler to the Trenchards
- Bronagh Gallagher as Speer, lady's maid to Susan Oliver
- Naomi Frederick as Duchess of Bedford
- James Fleet as the Reverend Stephen Bellasis, younger brother of the Earl of Brockenhurst and heir presumptive to his elder brother
- Diana Hardcastle as Grace Bellasis, wife of Stephen Bellasis
- Adam James as John Bellasis, son of Stephen Bellasis and heir apparent to his father
- Ella Purnell as Lady Maria Grey, daughter of Lady Templemore
- Tara Fitzgerald as Lady Templemore
- Saskia Reeves as Ellis, lady's maid to Anne Trenchard
- Penny Layden as Mrs Babbage
- Jack Shalloo as Morris
- Nigel Allen as Robert
- Stevee Davies as Brodsworth
- Serena Evans as Mrs Pope, adoptive mother to Charles Pope
Episodes
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [6] | U.K viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Episode 1" | John Alexander | Julian Fellowes | 15 March 2020 | 6.57 | |
James Trenchard, a successful businessman known as The Magician for his ability to supply food and materials to the army on the eve of the Battle of Quatre Bras, uses his daughter Sophia's friendship with Lord Bellasis to gain favour and he agrees to their marriage. Sophia discovers the marriage ceremony is a sham and Bellasis is killed on the battlefield. Sophia is left unmarried and pregnant. She dies during childbirth leaving a son. Twenty five years later the Trenchards move to the newly built Belgravia where they become neighbours to the Brockenhursts, who have no knowledge of their grandson. | ||||||
2 | "Episode 2" | John Alexander | Julian Fellowes | 22 March 2020 | 6.40 | |
Anne Trenchard decides, against her husband's wishes, to confide the secret of a grandson, Charles Pope, to Lady Brockenhurst who refuses to believe her son would contrive such a deceit. Lady Brockenhurst, whose husband bemoans the fact they have no heir, arranges an after dinner party to which she invites Charles Pope who has no idea of his birth parents. The Trenchards, including their son Oliver and his wife Susan are also invited. Also at the party are Lady Brockenhurst's nephew John Bellasis, the heir presumptive, and Lady Maria Grey who is expected to marry him. When Charles Pope arrives Lady Brockenhurst introduces him and discovers James Trenchard had invested in Pope's business as a cotton trader, much to Anne Trenchard's astonishment. John Bellasis takes a fancy to Susan while Pope discovers that Lady Maria is knowledgeable about the cotton trade. | ||||||
3 | "Episode 3" | John Alexander | Julian Fellowes | 29 March 2020 | 6.13 | |
Lady Brockenhurst's introduction of Charles Pope to society raises the interest of Lady Brockenhurst's brother-in-law Reverend Stephen Bellasis who has gambling debts of £1000 which his brother, the Earl, refuses to pay. Lady Maria Grey also takes an interest, as does her betrothed John Bellasis, Stephen's son, who begins an affair with the childless Susan Trenchard, which she relies on her maid Speer to keep secret. Susan's husband Oliver is also curious to know why his father, James Trenchard, has invested in Charles's company. John Bellasis decides to enlist the aid of the Trenchards' servants Ellis and Turton to uncover the family secrets. | ||||||
4 | "Episode 4" | John Alexander | Julian Fellowes | 5 April 2020 | 5.71 | |
Lady Maria Grey joins Lady Brockenhurst on her visit to the offices of Charles Pope. Anne Trenchard asks to accompany them. John Bellasis finds out about the visit from the Trenchards' servants and turns up unannounced. Still unable to find a connection, Bellasis asks his lover Susan to accompany her husband Oliver and his parents to their country house to glean more information. Lady Maria sees Charles Pope secretly and they realise they have mutual feelings. Reverend Bellasis is given money by his brother towards his gambling debts, while John Bellasis, needing money to pay his spies, steals the last of the family silver his mother had hidden. Lady Templemore pressurises her daughter, Lady Maria, to marry John and is shocked to find she does not wish to. Childless Susan Trenchard is shocked to find she is pregnant. | ||||||
5 | "Episode 5" | John Alexander | Julian Fellowes | 12 April 2020 | 5.77 | |
John Bellasis discovers from Turton that James Trenchard had been in contact with Charles Pope's foster parents for years. Lady Maria Grey informs Lady Brockenhurst and Anne Trenchard she will not be marrying John Bellasis despite her mother's announcement in The Times newspaper. Oliver Trenchard travels to Pope's cotton mill in Manchester and is told Pope obtained the mill by underhand means and has been cheating Customs and Excise. Charles does not deny the allegation when confronted by James Trenchard, who decides to travel north to investigate for himself. Following these accusations, Lady Brockenhurst resolves to reveal Charles's true parentage. Charles Pope refuses to elope with Lady Maria with the allegations hanging over him. Sophia's letters and marriage certificate are given to Anne Trenchard by a former maid and friend of Sophia. When hearing about these documents, John Bellasis realises the implications to his inheritance, further compounded when he discovers Sophia's marriage to Lord Bellasis was legally valid. | ||||||
6 | "Episode 6" | John Alexander | Julian Fellowes | 19 April 2020 | 5.72 | |
James Trenchard travels to Manchester and discovers the allegations against Charles Pope are false. Susan Trenchard tells John Bellasis she is pregnant but he refuses to marry her as she would be a divorced woman and the daughter-in-law of a tradesman. Ellis's deceit is uncovered and she implicates Turton and John Bellasis. Susan persuades Oliver to accept the baby as his son and heir as James and Anne are to give them their country estate. Pope is lured to a night time rendezvous at the river by John Bellasis who intends to regain his inheritance by killing him. James and Oliver Trenchard come to his rescue and Oliver becomes an unlikely hero saving his father and Pope from drowning. John Bellasis flees to Europe and Charles Pope is acknowledged as Viscount Bellasis. Lady Templemore's objections to her daughter, Lady Maria, marrying Charles Pope are overcome. |
Production
On 14 January 2019, it was announced that ITV had given a series order consisting of six episodes to a television adaptation of Julian Fellowes' 2016 novel Belgravia. The series was expected to be written by Fellowes and directed by John Alexander. Executive producers were set to include Gareth Neame, Nigel Marchant, and Liz Trubridge with Colin Wratten serving as a producer. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of Carnival Films.[5][7] On 8 February 2019, it was reported that American premium cable network Epix had joined the production as a co-producer.[8][9]
Principal photography took place in the summer of 2019. Many of the exteriors were shot in Edinburgh, with parts of the New Town standing in for Belgravia. Other locations included Edinburgh City Chambers and Hopetoun House.[10]
Production visited The Historic Chatham Dockyard and filmed on Anchor Wharf quayside, the Tarred Yarn Store as Pimm’s Chop House and the streets around the Ropery to stand in for both a London market and the streets around Girton’s Mill. [11]
References
- ^ Desk, TV News. "EPIX to Premiere Carnival Films' BELGRAVIA on April 12". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
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has generic name (help) - ^ "When is Julian Fellowes' new period drama Belgravia on TV?". RadioTimes. 4 February 2020.
- ^ "Video: Official Trailer for EPIX Series "Belgravia"". The Futon Critic. 23 October 2019.
- ^ "EPIX to Premiere Carnival Films' "Belgravia" on Sunday, April 12". The Futon Critic. 18 January 2020.
- ^ a b White, Peter (14 January 2019). "'Downton Abbey' Creator Julian Fellowes Brings His Latest Period Drama 'Belgravia' To ITV Via NBCU's Carnival Films". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "Belgravia – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ Clarke, Stewart (14 January 2019). "ITV Orders Period Drama 'Belgravia' From 'Downton Abbey's' Julian Fellowes". Variety. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ White, Peter (8 February 2019). "Epix Boards British Period Drama 'Belgravia' From 'Downton Abbey' Creator Julian Fellowes & Carnival Films". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ Porter, Rick (8 February 2019). "'Downton Abbey' Creator Julian Fellowes Lands Limited Series at Epix". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ Rhona Shennan (16 March 2020). "Belgravia filming locations in Edinburgh". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Belgravia (2020) article".
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