Elizabeth R - Episode Guide

A young Elizabeth lives in dangerous times, leading the Protestant rebellion against her Catholic half-sister Mary, and challenging her claim to the throne.

The unmarried young Queen is encouraged to find a suitable husband so that she can produce an heir, but she finds that very few suitors interest her.

Elizabeth meets an interesting suitor, the Duke of Anjou, much to the Puritans' disapproval. Now Elizabeth must decide whether to follow her head or her heart.

Queen Elizabeth finds her position increasingly threatened by Mary, Queen of Scots and her loyal supporters. Will Elizabeth have to execute Mary in order to remain Queen?

With the threat of war against Spain suddenly imminent, Elizabeth must place her faith in the strength of the Navy, led by Sir Francis Drake.

An elderly Queen Elizabeth instructs the Earl of Essex to quell the threat of an Irish uprising, but will she have to deal with a rebellion of her own?

Double Oscar winner Glenda Jackson remembers the role that brought her back to television after the huge success she had found on the big screen – Queen Elizabeth I in the BBC's acclaimed six-part 1971 series Elizabeth R.

Here Glenda recalls how she came to have huge admiration for the real-life Elizabeth, discovering so much more about her life and loves as she prepared to take on the role. She also describes the challenges faced when making an epic drama, and the struggles with costumes, make-up and wigs that eventually saw her having her own head shaved for the sake of ease and accuracy.