From penalty joy to Wembley heartbreak, new BBC One drama Dear England will follow the highs and lows of Gareth Southgate's time as coach of the Three Lions.
Based on the hit National Theatre play by James Graham (Sherwood, The Way, Quiz) the four-part drama will see Joseph Fiennes reprising his role as the England football manager.
Director of BBC Drama Lindsay Salt also confirmed that Rupert Goold (Judy, King Charles III, The Hollow Crown), who directed Dear England on stage, will direct the TV series.
“Dear England was a back-of-the-net triumph on stage," she said in an official statement. "We could not be happier to work with James Graham, Joseph Fiennes, Rupert Goold and the team to give it the perfect home on the BBC. A story about the England team, football, national identity and so much more, this is hugely entertaining must-see television drama.”
Here's everything we know...
Dear England release date
It's not known when the four-part series will go into production and some expect the BBC to wait until after Euro 24 in Germany before the filming schedule is finalised. This means a release date of late 2025 — or potentially later — could be on the cards.
Dear England plot
The play upon which the four-part series is based is comprised of three acts. It roughly covers the England squad's participation in three tournaments, the 2018 World Cup in Russia (where they unexpectedly reached the semi-finals), Euro 2021 (where they lost the final on penalties to Italy at Wembley) and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Gareth Southgate's pain at missing a crucial penalty at Euro 96 is an important reference point, while the racism faced by England's Black players after the team's loss to Italy in 2021 also forms a key plot line.
The TV adaption could expand upon that format and there might also be room for a story from this summer's European Championships in Germany!
An official statement from the BBC reads as follows...
"It’s time to change the game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t the England team win at their own game?
"With the worst track record for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land.
"Dear England is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams, based on extensive research and interviews. The stage play premiered at the National Theatre to five-star reviews and a sell-out run in 2023, before transferring to London’s West End."
Dear England cast
Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale, Shakespeare in Love) has won critical acclaim for his performance as Southgate in the National Theatre production and he will be reprising that role in the BBC One drama.
Producers will need to find actors to play a range of England players, including Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire, but there's no further news on who will star in the series. When more casting news arrives, we'll be sure to let you know.
Dear England trailer
There's no trailer for this one yet, but we'll be sure to keep you updated when one arrives.
