James Norton opens up on nerves ahead of King and Conqueror role

But one project that appears especially dear to Norton's heart is the historical epic series King and Conqueror, which will see him playing Harold, Earl of Wessex opposite Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as William, Duke of Normandy.

The show will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at some point next year, and in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com Norton explained that he was especially exciting about it given his key role behind the scenes.

"I mean, that was a real journey for me, because I produced that show as well," he explained. "So I've been developing it for about six, seven years, and it's been percolating. We've been having meetings. We've been talking to directors, writers. You know, it's been a long, long journey."

He added that the show's lead writer, Michael Robert Johnson, had first brought the idea to him seven years ago and said it had been amazing to see it go "from that one meeting with one sheet of A4 pitch, to then being on the mountain in Iceland with the Saxon army facing off the Norman army".

He continued: "And that's another story, which, you know, bizarrely, has never been told on film. We've never seen a Battle of Hastings drama. So, yeah, so exciting, so exciting. I'm so proud. And actually, we're currently in the edit.

"We're locking the latter half of the series right now. We're into the score and all those really exciting moments.

"So, yeah, so exciting, and can't wait for it to be seen. Although I'm very nervous because the stakes are so high, it's been a long journey!"

Earlier in the month, some new images gave us our first look at Norton and Coster-Waldau as their characters – showing them together, apart and on the battlefield.

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The series charts the lead-up to the two men meeting at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, with the synopsis describing them as "two allies with no design on the British throne, who found themselves forced by circumstance and personal obsession into a war for possession of its crown".

Also starring in the eight-part series is Emily Beecham as Edith Swanneck, Clémence Poésy as Matilda, Eddie Marsan as King Edward, Juliet Stevenson as Lady Emma, Jean-Marc Barr as King Henry and Luther Ford as Tostig.

King and Conqueror will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One next year.

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