Filming begins in the first week of September on Catherine the Great with Helen Mirren as the iconic Russian monarch.

The four-part mini-series will film mostly on location in Lithuania with some shooting taking place in St Petersburg and Latvia.

From New Pictures and Origin Pictures, Catherine the Great is the third high-end drama collaboration from HBO and Sky under their partnership deal, following the commission of Chernobyl and Gangs of London.

Nigel Williams has written the series that Philip Martin will direct; Jules Hussey produces. Mirren and Martin also executive produce alongside Origin”s David M Thompson and New Pictures” Charlie Pattinson.

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