Upstart Crow
- TV sitcom
- BBC Two
- 2016 - 2020
- 21 episodes (3 series)
Sitcom about the life of jobbing playwright William Shakespeare, struggling to find inspiration in Tudor London. Also features David Mitchell, Rob Rouse, Gemma Whelan, Liza Tarbuck, Harry Enfield and more.
- Series 2, Christmas Special repeated Sunday at 12:45am on Gold
Key details
- Genre
- Sitcom
- Broadcast
- 2016 - 2020
- Channels
- BBC Two
- Episodes
- 21 (3 series)
- Stars
- David Mitchell, Rob Rouse, Gemma Whelan, Liza Tarbuck, Harry Enfield, Paula Wilcox, Helen Monks, Steve Speirs and more
- Writer
- Ben Elton
- Directors
- Matt Lipsey and Richard Boden
- Producers
- Gareth Edwards, Myfanwy Moore and Chris Sussman
- Companies
It's 1592 and Will Shakespeare is just at the beginning of his extraordinary career. The series focuses on both Will's family and professional life and include the surprising stories of where many of his ideas came from.
Also featured are his wife Anne and his extended family, his servant Bottom, his friends Kate and Marlowe, his theatrical troupe, and his rival Robert Greene.
In the series, Will finds inspiration for Romeo from an unlikely source; mislays a nearly treasonous masterpiece; gets tricked into a very embarrassing pair of tights; has a spot of bother with the wife over some sonnets; meets three witches who predict great things for him; and borrows some money on some rather unusual conditions.
Additional details
- Production
- Studio
- Camera set-up
- Multi-camera
- Picture
- Colour
Website links
Broadcast details
- First broadcast
- Monday 9th May 2016 at 10pm on BBC Two
- Last new broadcast
- Monday 21st December 2020 at 9pm on BBC Two
- Next repeats
-
- Series 2, Christmas Special: Sunday at 12:45am on Gold
- Series 2, Christmas Special: Sunday at 9:55pm on Gold
- Series 3, Christmas Special: Sunday at 10:50pm on Gold
- Series 2, Christmas Special: Monday at 2am on Gold
- Series 3, Christmas Special: Monday at 2:45am on Gold
- Series 2, Christmas Special: Monday 13th December at 5:15pm on Gold
- Series 2, Christmas Special: Thursday 16th December at 1am on Gold
- Series 2, Christmas Special: Thursday 16th December at 6:30pm on Gold
- Most recent repeats
-
- Sunday 28th November 2021 at 10:30pm on Gold - Series 3, Episode 5
- Sunday 28th November 2021 at 12:35am on Gold - Series 3, Episode 6
- Saturday 27th November 2021 at 11:55pm on Gold - Series 3, Episode 5
Recording details
- The London Studios
- Zoom (Virtual) - 2020 Christmas special