Upstart Crow. Will Shakespeare (David Mitchell). Copyright: BBC
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.
Streaming rank this week: 1,159
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 4 - Love Is Not Love
Upstart Crow. Image shows from L to R: Emelia (Montserrat Lombard), Marlowe (Tim Downie)
Will has completed his final sonnet and senses literary immortality just around the corner. But will the fair youth and the dark lady like them as much as he hopes? And is Anne likely to be impressed that her husband's 154 hot new love poems don't contain much about her?
Broadcast details
- Date
- Monday 30th May 2016
- Time
- 10pm
- Channel
- BBC Two
- Length
- 30 minutes
Repeats
Show past repeats
| Date | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 25th February 2018 | 9:00pm | Gold |
| Monday 21st May 2018 | 10:00pm | Gold |
| Sunday 14th April 2019 | 10:40pm | Gold |
| Monday 15th April 2019 | 2:25am | Gold |
| Thursday 19th September 2019 | 1:55am | Gold |
| Saturday 2nd November 2019 | 2:55am | Gold |
| Sunday 3rd November 2019 | 12:30am | Gold |
| Sunday 3rd November 2019 | 11:20pm | Gold |
| Thursday 8th June 2023 | 11:00pm | Gold |
| Friday 9th June 2023 | 10:30pm | Gold |
| Monday 10th July 2023 | 1:00am | Gold |
| Sunday 17th September 2023 | 12:40am | Gold |
| Sunday 17th September 2023 | 11:40pm | Gold |
Cast & crew
| David Mitchell | Will Shakespeare |
| Rob Rouse | Bottom |
| Gemma Whelan | Kate |
| Liza Tarbuck | Anne Hathaway |
| Harry Enfield | John Shakespeare |
| Paula Wilcox | Mary Arden |
| Helen Monks | Susanna |
| Steve Speirs | Burbage |
| Tim Downie | Marlowe |
| Dominic Coleman | Condell |
| Mark Heap | Sir Robert Greene |
| Spencer Jones | Kempe |
| Montserrat Lombard | Emelia |
| Adam Harley | Southampton |
| John Sessions | Lord Inquisitor |
| Ben Elton | Writer |
| Matt Lipsey | Director |
| Gareth Edwards | Producer |
| Myfanwy Moore | Executive Producer |
| Jake Bernard | Editor |
| Julian Fullalove | Production Designer |
| Grant Olding | Composer |
Video
Never off their books of Sonnets!
Will and Kate complain about Tudor teenagers.
Featuring: David Mitchell (Will Shakespeare), Rob Rouse (Bottom) & Gemma Whelan (Kate).
Press
Preview: Upstart Crow, episode 4, Love is Not Love
I'm not enough of a Shakespeare scholar to vouch for the accuracy of Ben Elton's historical sitcom, but as a comedy geek I can at least confirm that it is funnier than his last effort, The Wright Way.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 30th May 2016