Dear England (2026) © BBC / Left Bank
Writer: James Graham
Starring: Joseph Fiennes, Jodie Whittaker, Jason Watkins, John Hodgkinson, Daniel Ryan, Sam Spruell
Production Company: Left Bank Pictures
Kent Locations Used: Nell’s Café
Based on the Olivier award-winning stage play of the same name, Dear England (2026) is a four-part mini-series following the reign of Gareth Southgate as England’s national football team manager.
Written by James Graham (Sherwood, Brexit), the series stars Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love, Elizabeth) reprising his onstage role as England coach Gareth Southgate, Jodie Whittaker (Black Sea (2014), Venus (2007)) as Pippa Grange, Jason Watkins (Trollied: The Wedding (2018), The Crown (2016-2023)) as Greg Dyke, John Hodgkinson (Witless, Boyz Unlimited) as Greg Clarke, Daniel Ryan (The Bay, Mount Pleasant) as assistant coach Steve Holland and Sam Spruell (Fargo, Legend) as Mike Webster.
Supporting as members of the England football team are Adam Hugill (1917, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) as Harry Maguire, Josh Barrow (Hostage, 403 Forbidden) as Jordan Pickford, Lewis Shepherd as Dele Alli, Will Antenbring (Mr Loverman) as Harry Kane, Edem-Ita Duke (Venice at Dawn) as Marcus Rashford, Francis Lovehall (A Thousand Blows, Small Axe) as Raheem Sterling, Abdul Sessay (My Oxford Year, Piglets) as Bukayo Saka, Jacob Greenway (The Watchers, Riot Women) as Jude Bellingham, David Shields (Masters of the Air, Black Mirror – Demon 79) as Jordan Henderson, Hamish Frew as Eric Dier, Alfie Middlemiss as Phil Foden, Riess Fennell (The Football Fantastics) as Jadon Sancho, Daniel Quincy Annoh (The Recruit) as Ollie Watkins, Bobby Schofield (The Covenant, Cherry) as Wayne Rooney, Dom Rayner as Cole Palmer, and Alexander Parsons as Jesse Lingard.
Production visited Kent to film at Nell’s Café in Gravesend.
Nell’s Café is a popular roadside café along the A2 in Gravesend. Situated on the southern bank of the River Thames, Gravesend boasts a cast iron pier, promenade and high street as well as international rail links at the nearby Ebbsfleet International station. Previous productions to have filmed at Nell’s Café include The Baby (2022), Series 1 of Killing Eve (2018-2022) and Series 2 of Temple (2021).
Dear England (2026) will air on BBC One from Sunday 24th May 2026.
For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.
