Without a doubt, the way that Donald Trump and his administration has been handling the COVID-19 pandemic response has been horrific. But he’s not the only leader that has done a, uh, less-than-desirable job responding to the global health crisis. The UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has bungled things in a spectacular way (while also contracting the virus himself), as well. And that story, apparently, warrants its own limited TV series.
According to Deadline, Fremantle has decided to hire filmmaker Michael Winterbottom to direct and co-write a new limited series based on the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by Boris Johnson. Winterbottom and his crew will also work with The Sunday Times political editor Tim Shipman on the story for the series. Shipman is no stranger to drama series based on true political events. His book, “All Out War,” was adapted into the HBO series, “Brexit: The Uncivil War.”
“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,” said Andrea Scrosati, Fremantle’s global COO. “The last few months in the life of the UK Prime Minister clearly mark one of these moments.”
Executive producer Richard 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.”
Winterbottom is a filmmaker with a lengthy filmography, including a variety of comedy features such as the “The Trip” franchise and his satire, “Greed,” which was released last year. He’s also a BAFTA winner for the project. “In This World.” He’s also known for festival films such as “Welcome to Sarajevo,” “Wonderland,” and “24 Hour Party People.”
It’s obviously way too soon to know when we might see the Boris Johnson series arrive on screens. In fact, there’s not even a platform on board to distribute. But with Winterbottom on board, it’ll likely have no problem finding a home.
