Overview

• The series launches today on BBC One at 9:10 p.m., with all episodes available from 6 a.m. on BBC iPlayer.
• The narrative focuses on Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy as former allies whose relationship—and that of their wives—drives the prelude to Hastings.
• Filming took place in Iceland’s Heiðmörk Nature Reserve and the Reykjavík area, using expansive custom-built sets to depict 11th‑century England and Normandy.
• James Norton and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau are executive producers, with Coster-Waldau directing episodes, and both emphasize grounded stunt work and training for ‘messy’ combat.
• Historians quoted in UK outlets criticize the show’s historical choices, citing the mythic ‘droit du seigneur,’ stylized grooming and architecture, and Iceland standing in for England, while Norton says he assured Emmanuel Macron the Norman side is portrayed fairly.