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19th Feb 2017

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington leads an explosive new show about the Gunpowder Plot

Paul Moore

Remember, remember the fifth of November. Well, Jon Snow won’t because he knows nothing.

With SS-GB airing on BBC One tonight and the highly anticipated return of Peaky Blinders coming later this year, the Beeb aren’t exactly taking it easy on the production side of things.

In Game of Thrones, Kit Harington’s beloved character Jon Snow has had to deal with plenty of treachery and treason. We all know what happened when his brothers in the Night’s Watch turned on their Lord Commander and there are still some doubts that his closest ally, Sansa Stark, is 100% behind the newly appointed King in the North.

Given Hrrington’s experience in dealing with people of a skullduggerous nature, he seems like perfect casting for the BBC’s new show that unravels the mystery surrounding the notorious Gunpowder Plot, the infamous act of treason that nearly killed the British King and his Parliament in 1605.

Pop-culture geeks will also get a kick out of the fact that Harington’s co-stars will be Sherlock’s Mark Gatiss and Lord of the Rings actress Liv Tyler.

The three-part series will be written by Ronan Bennett (Public Enemies, Top Boy) and Harington will play the man who was instrumental in devising the Gunpowder Plot, Robert Catesby.

While history remembers the pivotal role that Guy Fawkes played, Catesby was just as important. At a time when Catholics were punished, imprisoned and persecuted, Catesby was pivotal in creating the resistance. How did he do this? By rallying friends and relatives to support his audacious plan to strike against the British monarchy.

Mark Gatiss plays Chief Robert Cecil, spymaster, persecutor and purveyor of torture towards Catholics.

Yes, that’s right. We’re going to see a badass Mycroft taking on Jon Snow.

If Harington is going to dip his toe back into the TV world after the monumental success of Game of Thrones, you know that this must have some substance.

We can’t wait.

Filming starts this month.