The year i s 8 7 2 and England i s d iv i ded in a clash of heroes. one man, born Saxon, but ra i s ed a v i k ing, must choose a s i de

and play h i s part in the b i rth of a nat ion.

PREMISE

From award-winning writer Stephen Butchard comes ‘The Last Kingdom’, a new returnable series for the BBC and BBCA based on ‘The Saxon Stories’ book franchise by best-selling author Bernard Cornwell.

The year is 872, and many of the separate kingdoms of what we now know as England have fallen to the invading Vikings, leaving the great kingdom of Wessex standing alone and defiant under the command of King Alfred the Great.

Against this turbulent backdrop lives our hero, Uhtred. Born the son of a Saxon nobleman, he is orphaned by the Vikings and then kidnapped and raised as one of their own. Forced to choose between the country of his birth and the people of his upbringing, his loyalties are ever tested.

What is he – Saxon or Viking? On a quest to claim his birthright, Uhtred must tread a dangerous path between both sides if he is to play his part in the birth of a new nation and, ultimately, seek to recapture his ancestral lands.

The Last Kingdom is a show full of heroic deeds and epic battles, but with a thematic depth that embraces politics, religion, warfare, courage, love, loyalty and our universal search for identity. It is the story of how a people combined their strength under one of the most iconic kings of history in order to reclaim their land for themselves and build a place they call home.

CHARACTERS

uHTREDBorn of Saxon nobility but raised a Viking by his adored surrogate father Ragnar the Elder, Uhtred is in many ways a true Viking. A natural leader of men, he is fearless, instinctive, hot-blooded and lusty, and is driven by the excitement of battle and desire to reclaim his Saxon inheritance – the beautiful lands of Bebbanburg. Quick-witted and curious, he follows his gut and abhors the prayer, fasting and obedience so beloved of pious King Alfred. Uhtred believes in the liberal ways of the Pagan gods and that life must be lived to the fullest.

...fearless, instinctive, hot-blooded...

Like peas in a pod, fellow Saxon Brida is Uhtred’s devoted partner-in-crime. Captured by the Vikings shortly after Uhtred, the orphan-girl impressed Ragnar with her gutsy, fearless spirit and she was immediately at home in their boisterous world. A born fighter, Brida becomes Uhtred’s best friend, soulmate, and sometime lover, but will always be drawn to the pagan ways of the Vikings and Uhtred’s growing allegiance to Alfred will eventually push Brida into the arms of Ragnar the Younger.

BR IDA

...gutsy, fearless spirited, she was immediately at home in their boisterous world...

Uhtred’s adoptive brother, Ragnar the Younger, is every inch his father’s son: handsome, brave, loyal and fair. Ragnar embodies the Viking way of life for Uhtred – freedom, passion, challenge and adventure, a world away from the strictures of life with Alfred. Ragnar will tempt Uhtred to join him in avenging the death of their Viking father and threatens Uhtred’s fiery relationship with Alfred.

R AGNAR THE YouNGER

Uhtred’s father’s priest Beocca goes on to become Alfred’s most trusted advisor. As such he alone has seen Uhtred grow from boy to man and knows his true birth-right. Earnest, pious and devout, Beocca is also a surprisingly clever and strategic thinker whose opinion Alfred values. Ever hopeful of turning stubborn Uhtred from his pagan ways, Beocca nonetheless has paternal affection for his wayward charge.

BEoCCA

As the man who fights to unite the kingdoms of England, Alfred has gravitas, intelligence and integrity, but is a long way from a swashbuckling hero. The flip side of Uhtred, Alfred is a thinker and master strategist. A man of great wisdom, he is committed to the power of the written word and the spread of Christianity. Learned, pious, cautious, philosophical and often sickly, the responsibilities of leadership weigh heavy on his shoulders. But despite his vulnerabilities he is ruthless and determined. Even Uhtred, who first sees Alfred as a stiff humourless pedant, grows to admire the man who will become known as King Alfred the Great, one of the most formidable kings of all time.

K ING A LFRED

...A man of great wisdom, he is committed to the power of the written word and the spread of Christianity...

Guthrum is a Viking warlord of quiet but terrifying menace. Dour and relentlessly pessimistic he is a remorseless killer. Inexpressive and stubborn, but with a growing fascination with Christianity, his belligerence hides a conflicted soul.

...committed to killing every Englishman alive...

GuTHRuM

EP ISoDE ouTL INE

EP ISoDES

ONE Our hero Uhtred must grow up fast when his Saxon father dies in battle and his lands and inheritance are taken by his scheming uncle. Seized by Viking warlord Ragnar, the boy is brought up in their ways and grows into a warrior. But when his surrogate father Ragnar is murdered by a group of renegade Vikings, Uhtred finds himself a man alone, neither Saxon nor Viking.

TWO Blamed for the death of Ragnar, Uhtred is forced to flee for his life with his only friend and sometime lover Brida, a feisty and spirited Saxon girl, who, like Uhtred, has been raised a Viking. Coming to the attention of the God-fearing Saxon Prince Alfred, who needs a warrior that knows the ways of the Vikings, Uhtred must pledge his allegiance to the man who will one day be King of England.

THREE The Great Viking army under fierce warlord Ubba is threatening the last remaining Saxon kingdom of Wessex. Uhtred and Alfred must learn to trust each other if the kingdom is to be saved. Alfred proposes that Uhtred marry an eligible Saxon girl, Mildrith, to prove his commitment to Wessex. Brida tires of kow-towing to Saxons and longs to join the Danes again. Uhtred proves himself to Alfred and wins his protection, but his commitment costs him his relationship with Brida – now Uhtred has no reason not to marry Mildrith.

EP ISoDES

FOUR Uhtred discovers his marriage to Mildrith comes at a price. His relationship with Alfred hits a new low when Alfred invites Uhtred to peace talks with the Danes, only to use him as a hostage. Here, Uhtred finds himself re-united with Ragnar the Younger. But when Ubba reneges on the treaty and starts killing hostages Uhtred narrowly escapes with his life. A great battle looms.

FIVE Uhtred fears that whilst a hostage his wife Mildrith has been abducted. He follows in her footsteps, only to become embroiled in battle with Viking warlord Ubba. In the ensuing fight Uhtred is victorious, but finds Saxon rival Odda has claimed the glory. Uhtred angrily defends his honour in front of Alfred and faces a humiliating penance. In desperation he plans to pirate his way to independence in Cornwall.

SIX Disguising his ship as a Viking vessel, Uhtred and his friend Leofric set sail. They are soon accosted by a Cornish king who wants help defeating his belligerent neighbours. Realising that he is being asked to fight Vikings, Uhtred switches sides against the Cornish king, pillaging his wealth, and taking the king’s beautiful pagan wife Iseult for himself.

SEVEN Returning to Mildreth with an exotic pagan lover in tow, Uhtred’s domestic life quickly deteriorates. On top of this, Alfred puts him on trial for the unlawful attack on the Cornish king. However, just as judgment is about to be met, the Vikings launch a ferocious invasion which sees Uhtred, Alfred and Iseult flee to the marshes. Wessex has been invaded.

EIGHT Hiding out in the marshes, Uhtred and Alfred finally cement their bond as they share heartache and plan to retake Wessex. A battle of epic proportions plays out in which Uhtred lays his life on the line and in the process loses the people he loves most. He holds Alfred’s prevarication to blame. Wessex is regained but at what cost to our flawed hero?

EP ISoDES

AuSP ICES

CREATIvE TEAM From the creators of the global TV phenomenon ‘Downton Abbey’, produced by Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning Executive Producers Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant, written by BAFTA nominated, RTS winner Stephen Butchard and directed by BAFTA winner Nick Murphy.

PRoDuCTIoN Format: 10 x 60 or 8 x 75 (season one) Producer: Carnival Films Distributor: NBCUniversal Production: Q3 2014 Release: October 2016

CoNTACT David O’Donoghue, COO, Carnival Films

Email: dod@carnivalfilms.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)203 618 6600

Or your usual NBCUniversal contact

BooK FRANCHISE There are eight books so far in ‘The Saxon Stories’ franchise, the first two forming the basis of Season One. Over four million copies of the Stories have been sold internationally to date, with multiple books in the series entering the New York Times Bestseller List’.

Bernard Cornwell has sold more than 20 million copies of his 49 books and is one of the best-selling historical fiction authors of the past decade. His previous ‘Sharpe’ novels were adapted into the highly successful television series of the same name for ITV (1993 to 2008).