Man of WAR

lain De Caestecker stars in a gritty version of the Arthurian legends

NEW DRAMA
The Winter King
From Thursday 21 December, ITVX

TV&Satellite Week has been transported back to the 5th century as we step into the courtyard of a rock-strewn, partially subterranean Dark Ages castle that has been built at a film studio in Bristol.

We are on set for ITVX’s 10-part drama The Winter King, which is based on Bernard Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles trilogy of novels and offers a no-holds-barred take on the Arthurian legends, as young warrior Arthur (Iain De Caestecker) rises to become a great and powerful leader.

Arthur is the illegitimate but loyal son of indomitable Uther (Eddie Marsan), the High King of Dumnonia, one of several warring regions of Britain. But after Arthur’s brother Mordred, Uther’s heir, dies in battle, a devastated Uther turns on Arthur and exiles him.

‘It’s a grounded, human version of the legend,’ explains De Caestecker, 35, clad in black leather armour, as we catch up with him during a break in filming.