2 x 100 mins
Granada Television (2003) co-funded by WGBH of Boston, CBC of Canada and the
Australian ABC channel
written by Pete
Morgan (original script written by Alan Bleasdale was abandoned)
directed by Pete Travis
Transmission on ITV1 (UK) on Sundays 12 and 19 October 2003, March 2004 on ABC in Australia, 7 November 2005 in USA (Masterpiece Theatre).
Please be patient while the many large photos load!
 Ray as Henry VIII in full robes |
 Ray in chain mail as Henry VIII |
 Ray Winstone as King Henry VIII |
 Ray in chain mail as Henry VIII |
 Ray as Henry VIII and Helena Bonham Carter as Anne Boleyn |
 Ray on a cigarette break during filming |
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 Ray on horseback |
 Ray as Henry with Sean Bean as Robert Aske (scan by Lynn from www.full-of-beans.net) |
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 Ray as Henry proposes to Anne Boleyn (Helena Bonham Carter) |
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L to R: Helena
Bonham Carter as Anne Boleyn, Emilia Fox as Jane Seymour, Ray as Henry VIII,
Assumpta Serna as Katherine of Aragon and David Suchet as Cardinal Wolsey
Below are some behind-the-scenes photos from the production:
£6million epic co-funded by WGBH of Boston, CBC of Canada and the Australian ABC channel.
Region 2 Video/DVD available: order at Sendit
View the 'coming soon' trailers at www.full-of-beans.net
New 'Henry VIII' wallpapers are on the Interactive Page.
Henry VIII has won an International TV Emmy for Best TV Movie/Mini Series. It was up against The Deal (Channel 4), Canterbury Tales (BBC) and L'Affaire Dominic (TF1/Geteve, France).
Interview with Ray about Henry VIII by Craig McLean, Daily Telegraph 4 Oct 03
Interview with Ray about Henry VIII by Karen Hockney, The Times 11 Oct 03
The Henry VIII production is generating a bit of historical controversy over a scene in which Henry 'rapes' Anne Boleyn. The scene has no basis in fact and is regarded as a ratings-booster.
Small article by Danny Scott in Radio Times 5-11 July 03:
Ray Winstone comes across as a man's man. But it took him weeks of tough physical training to get in shape for his role in ITV1's drama about royal wideboy Henry VIII, which will be broadcast later this year.
"People always think of Henry as this fat bloke, but in his younger days he was very fit," says Winstone, an ex-boxer himself. "So I was on a special diet to get my weight down. No drink, down the gym, that kind of thing."
Having lost all that weight, however, Winstone then had to "bulk-up" for the king's later years. Was it back on the pie 'n' mash, then? "Nah, they had me in one of them fat suits," he laughs. "That was a first for me."
Of course, there was also Henry's famous doublet and hose: "It's a real experience getting into all that old gear. What's interesting is the way the outfits were cut. The shirts made my shoulders feel broader; the boots and pants definitely made me move like a real man." And the codpiece? "Believe it or not, that was very, very comfortable," he confides.
Winstone admits the most difficult aspect of his performance was getting the monarch's voice right. "When my Henry comes into the room and says, "I am the King of England,' I want to make sure people hear the sound of a warrior ready for war... not some poncey bloke with a bunch of jewels on his head!"
Many other articles about this production are to be found at The Compleat Sean Bean Henry VIII Press Archive.
Preview of the production by Mark Lawson in The Guardian, 6 October 2003.
Review by Nancy Banks-Smith in The Guardian, 13 October 2003.
Here are a couple of reviews from Australia: Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian "Winstone brings to the role a passion and menace that works".
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