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{{Short description|British Television series}}
{{Short description|British television series}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
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| screenplay = [[John Preston (English author)|John Preston]]
| screenplay = [[John Preston (English author)|John Preston]]
| story =
| story =
| director = [[Jon S Baird]]
| director = [[Jon S. Baird]]
| starring = {{Plainlist|*[[Matthew Macfadyen]]
| starring = {{Plainlist|*[[Matthew Macfadyen]]
* Emer Heatley
* [[Kevin McNally]]
* [[Dorothy Atkinson]]
*[[Keeley Hawes]]}}
*[[Keeley Hawes]]}}
| narrated =
| narrated =
Line 19: Line 22:
| num_series = 1
| num_series = 1
| num_episodes = 3
| num_episodes = 3
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|*Jon S Baird
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|*[[Jon S Baird]]
*Neil Blair
*Jess Cameron-Lewis
⚫
*Ellie Wood
*Ruth Kenley-Letts
*Ruth Kenley-Letts
*[[Matthew Macfadyen]]
*[[John Preston (English author)|John Preston]]
⚫
*Ellie Wood
}}
}}
| producer =
| producer = {{Plainlist|*Ruth Kenley-Letts
*Ellie Wood}}
| editor = Steven Worsley
| editor = Steven Worsley
| cinematography = Mark Wolf
| cinematography = Mark Wolf
| runtime =
| runtime = 55 minutes
| company = {{Plainlist|*Snowed-In Productions
| company = {{Plainlist|*Snowed-In Productions
*UK Indie Films}}
*Clearwood Films}}
| distributor = [[ITV Studios]]
| budget =
| budget =
| network = [[ITVX]]
| network = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| first_aired =
| first_aired = {{start date|2023|1|2|df=yes}}
| preceded_by =
| last_aired = {{end date|2023|1|4|df=yes}}
| followed_by =
}}
}}

'''''Stonehouse''''' is an upcoming British television series dramatising the life and times of disgraced British government minister [[John Stonehouse]]. The series stars [[Matthew Macfadyen]] and [[Keeley Hawes]] and is directed by [[Jon S Baird]] from a script by [[John Preston (English author)|John Preston]].
'''''Stonehouse''''' is a British [[Comedy drama|comedy-drama]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nicholson |first=Rebecca |date=2023-01-02 |title=Stonehouse review – Matthew Macfadyen is a brilliantly bad baddie in this fun, death-faking romp |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jan/02/stonehouse-review-matthew-macfadyen-keeley-hawes |access-date=2023-05-29 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> television series dramatising the life and times of disgraced British government minister [[John Stonehouse]], first broadcast from 2 to 4 January 2023. The series starred [[Matthew Macfadyen]] and [[Keeley Hawes]] and was directed by [[Jon S. Baird]] from a script by [[John Preston (English author)|John Preston]].


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
The series recounts how in November 1974 British politician John Stonehouse, [[Postmaster General of the United Kingdom|Postmaster General]] in the [[Harold Wilson]] government and MP for [[Walsall North (UK Parliament constituency)|Walsall North]], disappeared from the beach of a luxury hotel in [[Miami, Florida]] leaving just a neatly folded pile of clothes behind, after he swam into the sea to fake his own death. However, it became apparent that his reputation had been masking dark secrets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/stonehouse-matthew-macfadyen-true-story-itv-b2247083.html?|title=Stonehouse:The true story that inspired the ITV drama starring Matthew MacFayden|website=The Independent}}</ref>
The series is a part fictional/fact<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-03 |title=Stonehouse story 'far more fascinating' than TV drama suggests, relative says |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jan/03/stonehouse-story-far-more-fascinating-than-tv-drama-suggests-relative-says |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> based account of how in November 1974 a prominent [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] British politician, John Stonehouse, the former [[Postmaster General of the United Kingdom|Postmaster General]] within the [[Harold Wilson]] [[Labour government, 1964–1970|government]] and MP for [[Walsall North (UK Parliament constituency)|Walsall North]], disappeared from the beach of a luxury hotel in [[Miami, Florida]]. Stonehouse left only a neatly folded pile of clothes behind, after he swam into the sea to fake his own death.

Stonehouse faked his own death in a vain attempt to avoid disgracing his reputation. After engaging in espionage, forgery, theft and fraudulent activities, he was extradited to the UK from Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/stonehouse-matthew-macfadyen-true-story-itv-b2247083.html?|title=Stonehouse: The true story that inspired the ITV drama starring Matthew MacFayden|website=The Independent|date=2 January 2023 }}</ref>


==Cast==
==Cast==
*[[Matthew Macfadyen]] as [[John Stonehouse]]
* [[Matthew Macfadyen]] as [[John Stonehouse]]
*[[Keeley Hawes]] as Barbara Smith/Stonehouse
* [[Keeley Hawes]] as Barbara Smith/Stonehouse
*Emer Heatley as Sheila Buckley
* Emer Heatley as Sheila Buckley
*[[Kevin McNally]] as [[Harold Wilson]]
* [[Kevin McNally]] as [[Harold Wilson]]
*[[Dorothy Atkinson]] as [[Betty Boothroyd]]
* [[Dorothy Atkinson]] as [[Betty Boothroyd]]
*Orla Hill as Jane Stonehouse
* Orla Hill as Jane Stonehouse
*Aoife Checkland as Julia Stonehouse
* Aoife Checkland as Julia Stonehouse
*Archie Barnes as Matthew Stonehouse
* [[Archie Barnes]] as Matthew Stonehouse
*[[Will Adamsdale]] as Harry Evans
* [[Will Adamsdale]] as [[Harold Evans|Harry Evans]]
* Igor Grabuzov as Alexander Marek
* Devon Black as [[Margaret Thatcher]]
* [[Ieva Andrejevaite]] as Irena Bala
* [[Timothy Walker (actor)|Timothy Walker]] as Charles Elwell


==Production==
==Production==
Filming took place around [[Birmingham]] and [[Stratford-upon-Avon]]. The series marked the first time real life husband and wife MacFayden and Hawes have worked together since the BBC series [[Spooks (TV series)|Spooks]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/matthew-macfadyen-keeley-hawes-stonehouse-newsupdate/|title=Matthew Macfadyen loved working with wife Keeley Hawes on Stonehouse|website=Radio Times}}</ref> Kevin McNally has previously appeared as Harold Wilson in the [[Kray twins]] 2015 bio-pic [[Legend (2015 film)|Legend]], starring [[Tom Hardy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/stonehouse-trailer-matthew-macfadyen-newsupdate/|title= Matthew Macfadyen in first trailer for Stonehouse, inspired by true story|website=Radio Times}}</ref>
Filming took place around [[Birmingham]], [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] and [[Leamington Spa]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Boar |url=https://theboar.org/2022/02/leamington-spa-filming/ |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=theboar.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> The series marked the first time real life husband and wife Macfadyen and Hawes have worked together since the BBC series ''[[Ashes to Ashes (British TV series)|Ashes to Ashes]]''. Kevin McNally has previously appeared as Harold Wilson in the [[Kray twins]] 2015 bio-pic ''[[Legend (2015 film)|Legend]]'', starring [[Tom Hardy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/stonehouse-trailer-matthew-macfadyen-newsupdate/|title= Matthew Macfadyen in first trailer for Stonehouse, inspired by true story|website=Radio Times}}</ref>

Stonehouse's daughter Julia protested against her father's alleged spycraft for the East Bloc, both in this production and in the Channel 4 documentary ''The Spy Who Died Twice'' also about John Stonehouse.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |last3= |first3= |date=2022-07-24 |title=Family of fraud scandal MP John Stonehouse in plea over new TV drama |language=en-GB |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/24/john-stonehouse-fraud-scandal-labour-mp-tv-drama-faked-death |access-date=2023-06-05 |issn=0029-7712}}</ref>


==Broadcast==
==Broadcast==
Stonehouse is broadcasted in the UK on [[ITV1|ITV]] and [[ITVX]] in three one-hour episodes on 2, 3 and 4 January, 2022 from 9pm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theguardian.com/media/2022/dec/16/itv-dramatises-life-of-john-stonehouse-mp-who-faked-his-death-in-1974|title= ITV dramatises life of John Stonehouse MP who faked his death in 1974|website=The Guardian}}</ref>
Stonehouse was broadcast in the UK on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] and [[ITVX]] in three one-hour episodes on 2, 3 and 4 January 2023 from 9pm.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://theguardian.com/media/2022/dec/16/itv-dramatises-life-of-john-stonehouse-mp-who-faked-his-death-in-1974|title= ITV dramatises life of John Stonehouse MP who faked his death in 1974|website=The Guardian|date= 16 December 2022|last1= Campbell|first1= Duncan}}</ref>

==Reception==
Rebecca Nicholson of ''[[The Guardian]]'' awarded the drama four stars out of five, and called it "enormously entertaining".<ref>{{cite web |title=Stonehouse review – Matthew Macfadyen is a brilliantly bad baddie in this fun, death-faking romp |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jan/02/stonehouse-review-matthew-macfadyen-keeley-hawes |website=The Guardian |access-date=14 February 2023 |date=2 January 2023}}</ref> Carol Midgley of ''[[The Times]]'' described it as "a joy, chiefly thanks to Macfadyen’s witty, light-on-its-feet performance,"<ref name="theweek">{{cite web |title=Stonehouse review: a fun drama about the MP who faked his own death |url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/arts-life/culture/tv-radio/959239/stonehouse-review-a-fun-drama-about-the-mp-who-faked-his-own |website=[[The Week]] |access-date=14 February 2023 |date=12 January 2023}}</ref> whilst [[Hugo Rifkind]], writing for the same newspaper, declared it "very funny" but was disappointed in the lack of nuance in its depiction of the title character.<ref name="theweek" />

The series was nominated for Best Single Drama or Mini-Series 1-3 EPS at the 2024 [[Broadcasting Press Guild]] Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingpressguild.org/2024/02/bpg-television-and-streaming-nominations-for-the-50th-annual-bpg-awards/ |website=Broadcasting-pressguild.org|accessdate=21 March 2024|title= BPG Television and Streaming nominations for the 50th annual BPG Awards |date=February 29, 2024|first=James|last=Naylor}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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| title=Stonehouse}}


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Latest revision as of 01:25, 30 July 2024

Stonehouse
Screenplay byJohn Preston
Directed byJon S. Baird
Starring
Theme music composerRolfe Kent
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Ruth Kenley-Letts
  • Ellie Wood
CinematographyMark Wolf
EditorSteven Worsley
Running time55 minutes
Production companies
  • Snowed-In Productions
  • Clearwood Films
Original release
NetworkITV
Release2 January (2023-01-02) –
4 January 2023 (2023-01-04)

Stonehouse is a British comedy-drama[1] television series dramatising the life and times of disgraced British government minister John Stonehouse, first broadcast from 2 to 4 January 2023. The series starred Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes and was directed by Jon S. Baird from a script by John Preston.

Synopsis

[edit]

The series is a part fictional/fact[2] based account of how in November 1974 a prominent Labour British politician, John Stonehouse, the former Postmaster General within the Harold Wilson government and MP for Walsall North, disappeared from the beach of a luxury hotel in Miami, Florida. Stonehouse left only a neatly folded pile of clothes behind, after he swam into the sea to fake his own death.

Stonehouse faked his own death in a vain attempt to avoid disgracing his reputation. After engaging in espionage, forgery, theft and fraudulent activities, he was extradited to the UK from Australia.[3]

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Filming took place around Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa.[4] The series marked the first time real life husband and wife Macfadyen and Hawes have worked together since the BBC series Ashes to Ashes. Kevin McNally has previously appeared as Harold Wilson in the Kray twins 2015 bio-pic Legend, starring Tom Hardy.[5]

Stonehouse's daughter Julia protested against her father's alleged spycraft for the East Bloc, both in this production and in the Channel 4 documentary The Spy Who Died Twice also about John Stonehouse.[6]

Broadcast

[edit]

Stonehouse was broadcast in the UK on ITV and ITVX in three one-hour episodes on 2, 3 and 4 January 2023 from 9pm.[7]

Reception

[edit]

Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian awarded the drama four stars out of five, and called it "enormously entertaining".[8] Carol Midgley of The Times described it as "a joy, chiefly thanks to Macfadyen’s witty, light-on-its-feet performance,"[9] whilst Hugo Rifkind, writing for the same newspaper, declared it "very funny" but was disappointed in the lack of nuance in its depiction of the title character.[9]

The series was nominated for Best Single Drama or Mini-Series 1-3 EPS at the 2024 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (2 January 2023). "Stonehouse review – Matthew Macfadyen is a brilliantly bad baddie in this fun, death-faking romp". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Stonehouse story 'far more fascinating' than TV drama suggests, relative says". The Guardian. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Stonehouse: The true story that inspired the ITV drama starring Matthew MacFayden". The Independent. 2 January 2023.
  4. ^ "The Boar". theboar.org. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Matthew Macfadyen in first trailer for Stonehouse, inspired by true story". Radio Times.
  6. ^ "Family of fraud scandal MP John Stonehouse in plea over new TV drama". The Observer. 24 July 2022. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  7. ^ Campbell, Duncan (16 December 2022). "ITV dramatises life of John Stonehouse MP who faked his death in 1974". The Guardian.
  8. ^ "Stonehouse review – Matthew Macfadyen is a brilliantly bad baddie in this fun, death-faking romp". The Guardian. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Stonehouse review: a fun drama about the MP who faked his own death". The Week. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  10. ^ Naylor, James (29 February 2024). "BPG Television and Streaming nominations for the 50th annual BPG Awards". Broadcasting-pressguild.org. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
[edit]
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