Upstart Crow 2020 Christmas special date and cast revealed

Upstart Crow is to return in 2020 for a one-off Christmas special this festive period.

Upstart Crow is a tale based on the life of William Shakespeare, genius, family man and highly-strung baldy-boots as he struggleth to be all at once a father, a husband, a commuter and the greatest literary genius of all time.

Written by Ben Elton and starring David Mitchell, three series aired up until 2018 where it last broadcast with a Christmas special.

The BBC has confirmed the show will return for a two-hander episode seeing David Mitchell reprise his role as the bard and Gemma Whelan as Kate.

The special is titled Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow: a Lockdown Christmas 1603

A synopsis shares: “The plague has hit London and as Christmas approaches Will and Kate are in wave fifteen of state-enforced home confinement together in Will’s London lodgings.

“As Kate fills endless time with baking, painting, hoarding, clapping and DIY haircuts, Will is doing his absolute best to use the plaguey lock-in to pen a classic for the new King so his head doesn’t end up in a basket. The problem is he’s got zero inspiration… Can Will come up with the perfect play?

“And far from their friends and loved ones can he and Kate find a way to create their own kind of Christmas merriment?”

The Upstart Crow 2020 Christmas special airs Monday, 21 December at 9PM on BBC Two.

For now you can watch all episodes from the first 3 series online via BBC iPlayer here.