Tutankhamun, ITV: cast, locations, and three other things to know about Sam Neill and Max Irons’ historical drama

The discovery of the Egyptian boy-king’s tomb is at the centre of this new series
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Ben Travis17 October 2016

After eight weeks of lavish sets and cut-glass accents, ITV’s Poldark rival Victoria has ended her reign of the Sunday night schedules.

But if you need another period drama to tune in to before the working week begins again, the channel are launching a totally different one.

Tutankhamun follows the greatest archaeological discovery of all time – with a top cast and some stunning locations.

Here’s what you need to know.

1) It stars Jurassic Park’s Sam Neill

Fact: Sam Neill improves anything he appears in. Fresh from his role in Taika Waititi’s genius comedy-drama Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the Jurassic Park legend is back on the small screen for Tutankhamun.

He plays Lord Carnarvon, an eccentric British aristocrat who takes a chance on budding archaeologist Howard Carter by funding his dig in Egypt.

“[Carnarvon] found himself in Egypt with no particular interest in archaeology, but then became increasingly intrigued by what was going on because it was all the rage at that time,” Neill explains.

“Everyone was looking for tombs and he got himself caught up in it. As you do.”

ITV

Taking on the role of Howard is Max Irons, of The Riot Club and The White Queen fame.

“It really is an astonishing story,” he says. “An incredible adventure. Pure and simple. A story of discovery and imagination, and I think that’s what people will enjoy about it.”

2) It’s got an awkward hero at its centre

He’s gone down in history as an archaeological legend, but Carter was a notoriously unconventional character.

“Howard was a different breed of a man. When you hear people’s opinions on Howard Carter it ranges. Some people put him firmly on the autistic spectrum. Other people say, ‘No, he wasn’t. He was just very single-minded’,” explains Irons.

“Howard didn’t have some of the airs and graces and social platitudes that were needed. He was a one-off. He was said to prefer the company of dead people, thousands of years old, to the living.”

3) They recreated Tutankhamun’s golden tomb as a physical set

The moment where – historical spoiler alert – Carter finally cracks his way into the gold-filled tomb is set to be visually spectacular.

“Usually you cheat these things. But they built the whole tomb,” reveals Irons. “So when we were poking a little stick with a candle attached to it through the tiny hole in the outer part of the tomb we could see all the recreations of the gold and the jewels inside.

“It was pretty special.”

4) It’s from the director of Girl With A Pearl Earring

While Tutankhamun is a four-hour series, it’s the same writer and director on each.

The show has been scripted by Guy Burt, who has written for the likes of The Borgias and The Bletchley Circle.

It’s directed by Peter Webber, who helmed the 2003 big-screen adaptation of Girl With A Pearl Earring starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth.

ITV

5) It was filmed in South Africa

The show depicts Egypt in the early 1900s, but the show was shot in the deserts of South Africa, near Namibia.

Neill described it as “an incredible landscape”, but it sounds like it was sometimes tough to shoot in.

“It was hot and windy. We’d get back from work, red-eyed with tears streaming down our faces from the dust,” he said. “Max Irons took the brunt of it. He really took a beating.”

ITV, Sunday, 9pm

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