ITV has announced the cast for its upcoming drama about The Great Fire of London.

Written by ITN’s Political Editor Tom Bradby, The Great Fire will star Andrew Buchan (Broadchurch), Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones), Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) and Daniel Mays (Mrs Biggs).

Inspired by the historical events of 1666 and with the decadent backdrop of King Charles II’s court, The Great Fire focuses on the circumstances which led to the catastrophic fire, Thomas Farriner’s (Andrew Buchan) family life at the bakery in Pudding Lane, the playboy King’s extravagant lifestyle, and Farriner’s complex relationship with his fictional sister in law, Sarah (Rose Leslie).

Diarist Samuel Pepys will be portrayed by Daniel Mays, with Perdita Weeks (The Invisible Woman) playing his wife Elizabeth.

Jack Huston plays King Charles II, whilst Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Dracula) is his brother, James Duke of York.

Filming begins this month on location in Kent, Surrey, Oxfordshire and central London, using pyrotechnics and special effects, as opposed to CGI, to create the fire sequences.

The four 60-minute episodes will unfold over four consecutive days as the fire takes hold of London.

Executive producer Douglas Rae commented: “In 1666 London was the greatest city in the world with a population of 300,000. In just four days The Great Fire destroyed nearly half the city and threatened the monarchy. It’s a fascinating premise for a drama and creates the perfect backdrop for Tom Bradby to be at his most creative. We have assembled an amazing cast and production team and we’re looking forward to filming Tom’s fantastic scripts.”

Are you looking forward to The Great Fire? Let us know below…