Entertainment
Anne Boleyn writer hints at sequel series about Henry VIII’s fifth wife Catherine Howard: ‘Watch this space’
The writer of Channel 5 drama Anne Boleyn, starring Jodie Turner-Smith as the ill-fated queen, has teased a sequel series about Henry VIII’s fifth wife Catherine Howard, who was also beheaded.
The final instalment of the three-part series Anne Boleyn is set to air tonight, with the drama showing the months leading up to her execution.
Following the Tudor drama’s conclusion, some viewers may be hoping to see the story continue past Anne’s death, particularly as the show stars Lola Petticrew as Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour.
During a recent interview, Eve Hedderwick Turner, who wrote Anne Boleyn, said that she would be interested to delve into the tale of Catherine Howard, who married the king when she was only a teenager.
When asked if she would create a sequel series, the writer said that it is ‘definitely of interest to me’, stating: ‘Watch this space!’
She then added that Catherine is ‘always a really interesting figure to me because she sort of becomes number two to have her head chopped off’, in a ‘similar’ manner to Anne following ‘accusations of adultery and treason’.
‘You know, there’s some grey sort of areas around her actual real age but she’s most likely 17 when she’s married to Henry, who’s by then around 50, and 18 when she’s murdered,’ Eve said.
‘So to me, if I was to lean into telling a story, it feels like quite an interesting opportunity to explore a coming-of-age, sexual exploration story with a really dangerous backdrop.’
Mark Stanley, who plays Henry VIII in Anne Boleyn, recently said that it was ‘humane’ for the king to have his wife executed by beheading, as ‘the choice would have been to burn her or behead her’.
‘He brought a particular executioner over from France with a certain blade as he wanted it done cleanly,’ he told The Mirror.
‘I think that does show how he felt about her, as weird as that sounds.’
Henry VIII’s first wife was Catherine of Aragon, who was married first to the king’s older brother before his death.
After Anne, Henry married Jane, who died after childbirth, followed by Anne of Cleves, who he divorced.
Following the beheading of Catherine Howard, Henry wed his last wife, Catherine Parr, who he remained married to until his death.
Anne Boleyn returns tonight at 9pm on Channel 5.
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