Boris Johnson’s Handling of COVID Pandemic Gets Dramatized

Fremantle, Passenger and Revolution Films are collaborating on a drama series about an extraordinary period in the life of U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his government and his country: the coronavirus pandemic.

From Johnson’s appointment as Prime Minister and discovery of the first U.K. cases of COVID-19 through falling critically ill to a recovery that coincided with the arrival of his new son, the drama will cover some of the most staggering real-life events to ever befall a U.K. leader. It has all culminated in the coronavirus claiming more lives in Britain than anywhere else in Europe, and the second-highest death toll per capita in the world.

The series will be co-written and directed by Michael Winterbottom, with Richard Brown (Passenger) and Melissa Parmenter (Revolution Films) serving as Executive Producers. Tim Shipman, political editor of The Sunday Times, will act as a consultant on the series.

Andrea Scrosati, global COO of Fremantle, said: “There are rare moments in history when leaders find their private lives uniquely connected to national events, where personal experience and official role collide in an unusual way. The last few months in the life of the U.K. Prime Minister clearly mark one of these moments. At Fremantle, we are passionate about finding powerful and authentic stories and telling them with a fair and fact-based approach. Richard and Michael are the perfect creative team to bring this dramatic story to life, in a way that does justice to the true nature of the unbelievable events experienced by one of the world’s most high-profile leaders.”

Brown added, “Michael Winterbottom is the ideal filmmaker to tell the story of the extraordinary events surrounding Boris Johnson’s new government and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has captured the attention of the world. We’re excited to join forces with Michael and Revolution Films on this project, a story which appears to demonstrate that fact is indeed sometimes stranger than fiction.”