# The Winter King (TV series)

The Winter King is a British historical fiction television series based on Bernard Cornwell's trilogy of novels The Warlord Chronicles, starring Iain De Caestecker as Arthur Pendragon. The series premiered on MGM+ in the United States on 20 August 2023 and on ITVX in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2023. In September 2024, the series was cancelled after one season.

## Premise

The series acts as a retelling of the Arthurian legends and takes place in Post-Roman Dark Age Britain, where the warlord Arthur Pendragon has been banished while Saxons invade, and a child-king sits unprotected on the throne.

## Cast and characters
### Main

* Iain De Caestecker as Arthur Pendragon, the illegitimate son of King Uther, an exiled warlord who returns to Britain.
* Stuart Campbell as Derfel Cadarn, a Saxon warrior and disciple of Arthur. Though he sees Arthur's flaws, he recognizes greatness and knows that Arthur is the only hope for Britain. Jordan Dark portrays a young Derfel.
* Ellie James as Nimue, a pagan priestess at Avalon who was saved by Merlin and claims to see the Gods. Lucy Allix portrays a young Nimue.
* Steven Elder as Bedwin, the Bishop of Caer Cadarn, advisor to the king of Dumnonia and one of Mordred's three protectors.
* Valene Kane as Morgan, Arthur's half-sister and another bastard child of King Uther. She is a sharp-tongued and independent-minded pagan and student of Merlin.
* Simon Merrells as Gundleus, king of the Dumnonia's rival kingdom Siluria and one of Mordred's three protectors. Imposing and savage, Gundleus is prepared to slaughter whoever he needs to secure power.
* Ken Nwosu as Sagramor, a fierce Numidian from Africa Nova and veteran of the old Roman army who has followed Arthur to Britain after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.
* Olumide Olorunfemi as Lunete, a close friend of Derfel and Nimue.
* Billy Postlethwaite as Cadwys, the warrior-king of Isca.
* Daniel Ings as Owain, the champion of Dumnonia who is an experienced but dishonest veteran warrior and one of Mordred's three protectors.
* Nathaniel Martello-White as Merlin, a politician, powerful, enlightened, and absolute. Fearless in the face of a King’s wrath, he follows his connection to his Gods in all things.
* Eddie Marsan as Uther, High King of all Dumnonia. Old and battle-tested, he commands incredible authority, over almost all, bar Merlin.
* Tatjana Nardone as Ladwys, a pagan warrior and Gundleus' lover.
* Andrew Gower as Sansum, loosely based on the Cornish saint Samson of Dol, a Catholic priest and later a Bishop. He is described as unsympathetic and intriguing.
* Matt Mella as Lanval, a proud warrior sworn to Arthur.
* Aneirin Hughes as Gorfydd, the ruthless king of Powys.
* Gabriel Tierney as Tristan, prince of Kernow and edling to its throne.
* Jordan Alexandra as Guinevere, Ceinwyn's closest friend and Arthur's future wife. She is a strong, thoughtful and independent woman who seeks control over her destiny.
* Emily John as Ceinwyn, Gorfydd's daughter and the princess of Powys.
* Craig Parkinson as Aelle, king of the Saxons

### Recurring

* Grace Ackary as Norwenna, the young wife of Uther, and mother of his son Mordred.
* Sagar Arya as Tewdric, king of Gwent.
* Enoch Frost as Ligessac, Captain of Uther's guards.
* Sifiso Mazibuko as Hywel, Lunete's father.
* Charlie Duncan as Ralla, a pagan living at Avalon and Culwyn's wife.
* Gwion Morris Jones as Culwyn, a pagan living at Avalon and Ralla's husband.

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Otto Bathurst | Ed Whitmore & Kate Brooke | 20 August 2023 (2023-8-20) (US) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| High King Uther banishes his son, Arthur, who rescues a dying boy named Derfel; Arthur entrusts Derfel to Merlin and Nimue; Uther has a new heir, but Merlin receives a dark vision for the future. |||||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Otto Bathurst | Ed Whitmore & Kate Brooke | 27 August 2023 (2023-8-27) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| An untimely death leads Merlin to locate Arthur and urge him to come back to Britain; chaos ensues when Gundleus assaults Avalon. |||||
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Otto Bathurst | Ed Whitmore & Kate Brooke | 10 September 2023 (2023-9-10) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| Arthur takes Gundleus prisoner, and Nimue begins her revenge, Arthur learns that Gundleus' uncle Garfydd is preparing for war. Nimue tries to kill Gundleus, but her plan fails when Derfel cannot go through with it. Arthur releases Gundleus, to the displeasure of many, including Nimue and Owain. |||||
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Otto Bathurst | Ed Whitmore & Kate Brooke | 17 September 2023 (2023-9-17) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| Nimue comes back to Avalon and Merlin finds her; Owain and Derfel go to King Cadwys to collect taxes, but he persuades Owain to instead raid a nearby mine to pay off the money. |||||
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Farren Blackburn | Ed Whitmore & Kate Brooke | 24 September 2023 (2023-9-24) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| Nimue aborts her pregnancy and is later found by Merlin, who subsequently helps her; Derfel is uneasy about the attack on the mine that Owain is concealing; when Tristan shows up, he demands retaliation, but Owain claims he is innocent. |||||
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Farren Blackburn | Ed Whitmore & Kate Brooke | 8 October 2023 (2023-10-8) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| Arthur and the tribe kings enter peace talks. Arthur suggests that as a show of faith, he marry Gorfydd's daughter, Ceinwyn. She is horrified by the news. Arthur and Derfel travel to Powys and rest for the night by a lake. Arthur meets Guinevere, Ceinwyn's lady-in-waiting, while travelling. |||||
| 7 | "Episode 7" | Farren Blackburn | Nessah Muthy | 15 October 2023 (2023-10-15) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| A line-up of activities are set for the nights before Arthur and Ceinwyn are married. Arthur is increasingly drawn to Guinevere; they meet secretly and kiss. Gundleus attacks Derfel but Derfel prevails. Arthur breaks the betrothal with Ceinwyn. |||||
| 8 | "Episode 8" | Farren Blackburn | Amy Roberts & Loren McLaughlin | 22 October 2023 (2023-10-22) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| Arthur believes Bedwin will be able to negotiate peace with Gorfydd. However, when Morgan and Derfel arrive in Powys, they discover Bedwin being crucified. A Christian mob accuses Nimue of poisoning them. They demand justice from Arthur. |||||
| 9 | "Episode 9" | Anu Menon | Ed Whitmore & Kate Brooke | 29 October 2023 (2023-10-29) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| Derfel and Morgan take Bedwin's body back to Arthur. Ceinwyn reveals that Gorfydd is allying with the Saxons. Derfel discovers that the Christians died of natural causes, but Arthur reveals he has exiled Nimue to the Isle of the Dead. |||||
| 10 | "Episode 10" | Anu Menon | Ed Whitmore & Kate Brooke | 5 November 2023 (2023-11-05) 21 December 2023 (2023-12-21) (UK) |
| Derfel makes his assault on the Isle of the Dead and finds Nimue. Arthur meets the Saxon King Aelle and hands over information which will benefit their advance into Britain. In return, the Saxons will not attack Dumnonia for an agreed period of time; guilt-ridden by the deal he's been forced to make with the Saxons, Arthur vows to fight to save Britain. |||||

## Production
### Development

On 22 April 2022, Sony Pictures Television announced that their recently acquired production company Bad Wolf were adapting The Winter King, the first book in Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Trilogy, into a 10-part series for British television. The series was developed for television by Kate Brooke and Ed Whitmore, premiering in 2023 on ITVX, the upcoming streaming platform from U.K. broadcaster ITV. Other writers include Nessah Muthy. Lachlan Mackinnon and Catrin Lewis Defis is producing. American cable network MGM+ was at one point adapting The Warlord Trilogy with Bad Wolf but is no longer involved. Otto Bathurst will be the lead director, with additional episodes directed by Farren Blackburn.

### Filming

Aske Alexander Foss served as lead Director of Photography shooting blocks 1 & 3, with Stephan Pehrsson shooting block 2. The series was filmed in Wales and the West Country in the second half of 2022. In July 2022, the Tropiquaria Zoo in Watchet, Somerset was used as a base for filming within a 5 miles (8.0 km) radius of the Watchet wildlife park and aquarium. A set was built next to a former Wye Valley quarry near Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales.
This drama was also filmed in Bristol on a temporary film set with a fortified encampment at Patchway Studios off Highwood Road in Patchway Trading Estate. The set was mainly a ‘rocky canyon’ structure made up of prefabricated polyurethane foam panels on scaffolding. The filming operation varied between 70 and 150 cast and crew across 70 days between July 2022 and January 2023. The series is supported by The Bristol Film Office.
On 15 September 2022, filming took place in Wiltshire and near Bradford on Avon in South West England. Local Bristol media reported on 30 September that parts of the Blaise Castle Estate in Henbury had been cordoned off as a filming location for this television drama. A specific area of Blaise Castle grounds were transformed into a village with sets being built. On 11 October 2022, the filming moved to the Brabazon Hangars/Filton Airfield north of Bristol.

## Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Winter King holds an approval rating of 82% based on 11 critic reviews. The critics consensus reads: "Action-packed and sprawling in scope, The Winter King compensates for its lack of fidelity to Bernard Cornwell's books with sheer entertainment value." Metacritic assigned the series a weighted average score of 60 out of 100, based on seven critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".