The creative team behind Kingdom

Creation and writing

Simon Wheeler is the programme’s creator; the British Comedy Guide also credits Alan Whiting as co-creator. Whiting wrote ten episodes, Jeff Povey four, Guy Burt three and John Moloney one, giving the series continuity without relying on a single episode writer.

Directors across three Series

Robin Sheppard and Sandy Johnson each directed two Series 1 episodes, with Metin Hüseyin directing the other two. Andrew Grieve directed the first three episodes of Series 2; Edward Hall directed its final three and four more in Series 3. Hüseyin directed the first two episodes of Series 3.

Producing the programme

Georgina Lowe produced all 18 episodes. Executive producers included Stephen Fry, Simon Wheeler, Gina Carter and Alan Moloney. The line-producer role passed from Averil Brennan to Leila Kirkpatrick and then Sarah McBryde across the three annual production blocks.

The craft of Market Shipborough

Suzie Davies led production design, Dominic Clemence was director of photography, and Mark Russell composed the score. Costume design changed hands by series, helping retain Peter’s formal silhouette while the wider ensemble and seasons evolved.

Episode-by-episode writing and directing credits

• Series 1, Episode 1 — Alan Whiting (writer), Robin Sheppard (director)
• Series 1, Episode 2 — Alan Whiting (writer), Robin Sheppard (director)
• Series 1, Episode 3 — Jeff Povey (writer), Metin Hüseyin (director)
• Series 1, Episode 4 — Alan Whiting (writer), Metin Hüseyin (director)
• Series 1, Episode 5 — Jeff Povey (writer), Sandy Johnson (director)
• Series 1, Episode 6 — Alan Whiting (writer), Sandy Johnson (director)
• Series 2, Episode 1 — Alan Whiting (writer), Andrew Grieve (director)
• Series 2, Episode 2 — John Moloney (writer), Andrew Grieve (director)
• Series 2, Episode 3 — Jeff Povey (writer), Andrew Grieve (director)
• Series 2, Episode 4 — Alan Whiting (writer), Edward Hall (director)
• Series 2, Episode 5 — Guy Burt (writer), Edward Hall (director)
• Series 2, Episode 6 — Alan Whiting (writer), Edward Hall (director)
• Series 3, Episode 1 — Alan Whiting (writer), Metin Hüseyin (director)
• Series 3, Episode 2 — Guy Burt (writer), Metin Hüseyin (director)
• Series 3, Episode 3 — Jeff Povey (writer), Metin Hüseyin (director)
• Series 3, Episode 4 — Guy Burt (writer), Edward Hall (director)
• Series 3, Episode 5 — Alan Whiting (writer), Edward Hall (director)
• Series 3, Episode 6 — Alan Whiting (writer), Edward Hall (director)

Production at a glance

• One complete 18-episode run. Three six-episode series were transmitted from April 2007 to July 2009; broadcast order is also the intended story order.
• A deliberately small writing team. Alan Whiting wrote ten episodes, Jeff Povey four, Guy Burt three and John Moloney one.
• Direction organised in blocks. Six credited directors worked across the programme, with Andrew Grieve and Edward Hall dividing Series 2 into two three-episode blocks.
• A continuous producer. Georgina Lowe is credited as producer across all 18 episodes, giving the annual productions a stable centre.
• Fry worked on both sides of camera. Stephen Fry was lead actor and an executive producer, not simply the face of the finished programme.
• Norfolk was a production system. Swaffham supplied the town centre while Wells, Holkham and other places supplied a coast and wider county geography.
• The first series filmed in 2006. Holkham Estate records Wells beach filming in 2006, before the April 2007 television premiere.
• The launch was unusually large. The premiere recorded 8.2 million overnight viewers and a 34% share; its consolidated audience was 8.55 million.
• The finale still won its slot. The July 2009 finale drew 4.8 million overnight viewers and a 21% share, beating its principal BBC One drama competition.
• Cancellation did not resolve the fiction. ITV declined a fourth series after the third had ended with Peter’s parentage newly in question; no commissioned continuation supplied an answer.