Sky drama series This England, which depicts the early months of the COVID pandemic, is now available for viewers to watch in full - and they'll note that the events depicted culminate around May 2020.
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This means that the second and third waves of the pandemic, further lockdowns, the vaccine rollout, Partygate and the political downfall of Boris Johnson are all left out of the series, barring a quick run-through using archive footage and text at the end of the sixth episode.
This has led some to speculate that the series could returns for further seasons, with Kenneth Branagh once again stepping into the role of the former Prime Minister.
However, it seems that is not to be, with Sky confirming that they have no plans for further seasons. When reached out to for comment by RadioTimes.com, a Sky spokesperson said: "This England was always intended as a limited series focused on an historic and unique period of history."
Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson in This England. Sky UK/Phil Fisk
The decision is perhaps unsurprising. One of the show's writers, Michael Winterbottom, previously told RadioTimes.com and other press that he and the team decided "quite early on" to make the end of May the endpoint of the drama, because although scientists were predicting a second wave, the team had "to be practical".
He continued: "To some extent the idea is that from the first wave you would learn lessons for the second wave. The experience is not the same but you start to repeat some of the same trajectories."
Asked whether he regretted choosing May 2020 as his endpoint for the drama, Winterbottom said: "Not really, because we'd still be filming it now if we were trying to keep up with all the events."
All six episodes of This England are available now on Sky and NOW – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
