The kick off for BBC drama Dear England has been set, and as Joseph Fiennes‘ Gareth Southgate is told in a new trailer launched today, “England expects.”
James Graham’s four-part adaptation of his play about the England national team will launch on BBC One on Sunday, May 24, with with the following two episodes launching on the BBC iPlayer next week week. On network TV, episodes will air on Sundays and Mondays. You can watch the trailer above.
The trailer sees Southgate as he begins his new chapter at the helm of the national team. He fields questions from the press questioning his ability before we hear a voice a say, “England manager… who’d want to take on this poisoned chalice?”
Southgate is seen introducing psychologist Pippa Grange (Jodie Whittaker) to a dressing room of sceptical players, before the manager delivers a rousing speech as they start to believe in his methods. Southgate ultimately managed England to a World Cup semi-final and a European Championship final, and is widely seen as the most successful coach since Alf Ramsey, whose team won the World Cup in 1966.
Dear England, from Left Bank Pictures, is based on Graham’s play of the same name, which won Best New Play at the Olivier Awards in 2024. Rupert Goold, who directed the play, directs episode one. Paul Whittington directs 2-4. Exec producers are Andy Harries and Rebecca Hodgson for Left Bank, Jo McClellan for the BBC and Graham, Goold and Whittington. Sony Pictures Television has international distribution rights.
Starring alongside Fiennes and Whittaker are Jason Watkins and John Hodgkinson as former FA chairs Greg Dyke and Greg Clarke, respectively, Daniel Ryan as former England assistant manager Steve Holland and Sam Spruell as fictional coach Mike Webster.
Forming the England squad is Adam Hugill, Josh Barrow and Lewis Shepherd, who reprise their respective stage roles as Harry Maguire, Jordan Pickford and Dele Alli. Will Antenbring stars as Harry Kane, Edem-Ita Duke is Marcus Rashford, Francis Lovehall is Raheem Sterling, Abdul Sessay is Bukayo Saka, Jacob Greenway is Jude Bellingham, David Shields is Jordan Henderson, Hamish Frew is Eric Dier, Alfie Middlemiss is Phil Foden, Riess Fennell is Jadon Sancho, Daniel Quincy Annoh is Ollie Watkins, Bobby Schofield is Wayne Rooney, Sam Baker Jones is Jack Grealish and newcomers Dom Rayner and Xander Westcarr-Parsons are Cole Palmer and Jesse Lingard, respectively.
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