Victoria (ITV) con Jenna Louise Coleman!

Tom Hughes to star as Prince Albert in major new ITV drama Victoria

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ITV has today announced that Tom Hughes (The Game, Dancing on the Edge, Silk) will star as Prince Albert alongside Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who, Death Comes to Pemberley, Dancing on the Edge) in ITV’s major new drama series Victoria.

The ambitious 8-part drama follows the early life of Queen Victoria (Jenna Coleman), from her accession to the throne at the tender age of 18 through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert (Tom Hughes). Victoria went on to rule for 63 years, and was our longest-serving monarch until she was overtaken by Elizabeth II on 9th September this year.

Appearing in the drama from episode 3, Prince Albert immediately makes an impression on the young queen, his first cousin. Although Victoria resisted attempts to rush her into marriage initially, her partnership with Albert was a success and they would ultimately produce nine children.

Tom Hughes said: “I'm delighted to be part of this project. Victoria and Albert's story is one that not only had a lasting impact on this country's history, but also provides a rich depth of material to create an engaging and powerful series. An historically informative, political, passionate love story. One that still feels relevant to modern life. Something that Daisy has captured perfectly with her scripts.”

Writer and executive producer, Daisy Goodwin commented: “Albert was described by one contemporary as the handsomest prince in Europe. We are very lucky to have Tom Hughes to play this complex and charismatic character, often called the greatest king we never had.”

A stellar ensemble cast joins Jenna and Tom, including BAFTA-nominated actor Rufus Sewell as Lord Melbourne, Victoria’s first prime minister. The two immediately connected and their intimate friendship became a popular source of gossip that threatened to destabilise the Government – angering both Tory and Whigs alike. Alex Jennings (The lady in the Van, Silk, Whitechapel) also stars as Leopold I, King of Belgium and uncle to both Victoria and Albert, who was responsible for arranging their marriage.

Paul Rhys (The Assets, Borgia, Being Human) stars as Sir John Conroy, the ambitious controller of the Duchess of Kent’s household. Peter Firth (Spooks, Undeniable, World Without End) is the Queen’s conniving uncle the Duke of Cumberland and Catherine Flemming (Simones Labyrinth, No Place to Go) plays the Duchess of Kent, Queen Victoria’s mother.

Eve Myles (Broadchurch, Torchwood, You, Me & Them) plays Mrs Jenkins, the Queen’s senior dresser and Adrian Schiller (Suffragette, Residue, Endeavour) is Penge, the Household Steward. Nichola McAuliffe (Agatha Raisin: The Quiche of Death, Coronation Street) is the ruthless Duchess of Cumberland, Daniela Holtz (Phoenix, Der Verdacht) is Victoria’s governess and confidante Baroness Lehzen, and Nell Hudson (Outlander, Call the Midwife, Les Bohemes) plays the mysterious new member of the household, Miss Skerrett. Tommy-Lawrence Knight (The Sarah Jane Adventures) also joins the royal household as the hall boy, Brodie.

Nigel Lindsay (You, Me and the Apocalypse, The Tunnel, The Fear) is Sir Robert Peel, the leader of the Tory party. Alice Orr-Ewing (The Theory of Everything, Pramface) is cast as Lady Flora Hastings, lady-in-waiting to Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent.

Victoria will be made by Mammoth Screen, producers of Poldark (BBC One) and Endeavour (ITV), and the series is created and written by acclaimed novelist Daisy Goodwin, in her screenwriting debut.

Daisy will serve as executive producer alongside Dan McCulloch (Endeavour, Indian Summers) and Mammoth Screen’s managing director Damien Timmer (Parade’s End, Poldark).

The series will open with a 90-minute episode, followed by 7 one-hour episodes. Tom Vaughan (Doctor Foster, He Knew He Was Right, Starter for Ten) will direct the first three episodes and Paul Frift (Doctor Who, That Day We Sang, Room at the Top) will produce the landmark series.

Further casting is underway for the drama, which started filming in locations around the North of England in October 2015.