A scandalous new series, Mary & George, is coming soon to TVNZ+

While we await the next season of Bridgerton, a new period drama is here to fill the void: Mary & George, a seven-part limited drama series based on the scandalous true story of how a mother and son schemed, seduced and killed to conquer the Court of England and the bed of King James I.

Starring Julianne Moore (Still Alice) as Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham and Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue) as George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, Mary & George is based on the 2017 book The King's Assassin: The Fatal Affair of George Villiers and James I written by British history writer and media journalist Benjamin Woolley.

"There's not really any big bits of popular entertainment or art that have dealt with this story—either James or Mary and George," said D.C. Moore, the British playwright behind Killing Eve and showrunner for Mary & George.

"It's ironic to use the phrase, given the nature of the show, but it's virgin territory."

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The series has already scored a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Guardian giving it 5 stars, saying, “This audacious drama has poisonings by prune, lesbian affairs, murders, orgies – and a family so monstrous they make the Borgias look like the Waltons. It is magnificent”.

Mary & George will be available to stream from Wednesday, June 26 on TVNZ+.