The Last Kingdom confirmed to end with season five – first images revealed
The drama will not adapt the final three novels in Bernard Cornwell's series.
The Last Kingdom has released images from its upcoming fifth season, which has been confirmed as the show's last.
The historical drama stars Alexander Dreymon as fierce warrior Uhtred of Bebbanburg during the treacherous early years of England, inspired by the novels from author Bernard Cornwell.
When season five was announced last summer, it was not initially described as The Last Kingdom's final outing, but producers have now confirmed that the next episodes will draw the series to a close.
The season will consist of 10 episodes in total, which will be based upon Cornwell's ninth and tenth books – Warriors of the Storm and The Flame Bearer – meaning the final three novels in the series will go unadapted.
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Executive producer Nigel Marchant said: "We are really proud of The Last Kingdom, which continues to entertain audiences all over the world. We had such a tremendous response to the last season, so are thrilled to be bringing it back for fifth and final season on Netflix. With such a loyal fanbase, we’re excited to give viewers a chance to follow Uhtred on the next stage of his epic quest, where not everyone survives."
It has also been announced that Dreymon will take on direct an episode in the final season, with the production releasing a photograph from the set where he dons headphones to review a scene.
"I love this job," he said in a statement. "Playing Uhtred for 5 seasons has been a wonderful journey. And I’m truly grateful to have been given the opportunity to direct. In doing so, I came to fully appreciate the spectacular talent and skill of our cast and crew even more. I can’t wait to share it with our fans, without whom none of this would be possible.”
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Filming on The Last Kingdom is once again taking place in Hungary and will continue until the summertime, all while following strict COVID-19 protocols to keep the cast and crew safe.
Season five will see Uhtred of Bebbanburg take on the responsibility of training Aethelstan, the first-born son of Saxon King Edward, as he realises his destiny is tied to that of England.
It sounds as if the show will end on a dramatic note as the synopsis claims Dreymon's no-nonsense warrior will "face down his greatest enemy and suffer his greatest loss".
Joining the cast for the final season are Patrick Robinson (Sitting in Limbo) as troubled holy man Benedict, Sonya Cassidy (Humans) as kind-hearted Saxon woman Eadgifu, and Harry Gilby (Tolkein) as king-in-waiting Aethelstan.
The Last Kingdom seasons 1-4 are streaming now on Netflix. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
