Starz has handed The Spanish Princess a second run of eight episodes to be made at The Bottle Yard Studios, to bring to a close the story of Catherine of Aragon.
The additional 8 x 60′ episodes will film at The Bottle Yard Studios which houses the full-scale, interconnected replica of Tudor-era Westminster Palace designed for the first series by Production Designer Will Hughes-Jones (The White Princess). The impressive sets stand in 30,000 sq.ft. of space in Export Warehouse and Tank House 1. Production offices are also based on site as well as build space, storage and costume areas.
Charlotte Hope and Ruairi O’Connor will return in their roles as Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, respectively, while showrunners and exec producers Emma Frost and Matthew Graham will also remain in their roles.
“We are thrilled to tell the next chapter of Catherine of Aragon’s story as she negotiates war, politics and marriage to the most dangerous King of England,” said Frost and Graham. “As a company that always produces compelling and dynamic projects, Starz has been a great creative partner and we look forward to concluding Catherine’s journey with them.”
“Emma and Matthew have created an alluring portrait of one of the most familiar narratives in English history,” said Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch. “Viewers are intrigued by Catherine of Aragon’s story and this eight-episode conclusion will give us the opportunity to tell it in its entirety.”
The series continues the story from Starz miniseries The White Queen and STARZ Original Limited Series The White Princess, which are both also based on Philippa Gregory’s works. The Spanish Princess premiered on Sunday 5th May and has been described by Variety as “designed to appeal to lovers of broadly drawn historical romance” and The Hollywpood Reporter as “the ideal period soap, dexterously and intelligently balancing the webby intrigue of 16th century court life with the dewy eroticism of a classic melodrama.”
Additional executive producers on the series are Colin Callender and Scott Huff from Playground and Charlie Pattinson and Charlie Hampton from All3 Media’s New Pictures.