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Season 1 – Dear England

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Dear England May 2026 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 17 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Gareth Southgate must face up to the years of hurt to take team and nation back to glory.
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Dear England — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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Nicholas Harris New Statesman Jun 2
As a piece of nostalgic naturalism, an impersonation of events and characters, [James Graham's] drama succeeds... But it is as Dear England begins to assert its epic quality that it quickly drags. Go to Full Review Scott Bryan BBC.com Jun 2
Good Watch (not a Must Watch)
Where it falls short for me is that there were too many lofty speech moments about the state of our country that went on a little bit too long. Go to Full Review Jack Seale Guardian Jun 1
3/5
Dear England remains in love with the fairytale summer of 2018, when English football made its fans believe again. If it’s not sure what to do beyond that, maybe that’s OK: the great Gareth Southgate didn’t know either. Go to Full Review James Croot The Post NZ Jun 28
While it’s been updated to include the Three Lions’ run to the final of Euro 2024 and freed of some of its stage limitations, the major appeal of James Graham’s tale is still a powerhouse, pitch-perfect performance from Joseph Fiennes. Go to Full Review Gareth McLean Radio Times Jun 10
4/5
In an age dominated by performative aggression, cruelty and swaggering certainty, Southgate emerges as something surprisingly radical: a decent man trying to improve the emotional lives of those around him. Go to Full Review Álvaro Onieva Fotogramas Jun 5
4/5
'Dear England'...is closer to the underdogs than the heroes and doesn't rely on spectacular set pieces. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Donald D @Don23 Jun 23 This will make your skin crawl it is just the epitome of cringe. It’s awful. You can’t say you were not warned. See more phil W @RT48667691 Jun 22 A long way short of being as good as the play. It succeeds in half the time of the tv series. See more Abs B @Abs_B Jun 15 Poor Poor Poor Joseph Fiennes has got the mannerisms of Southgate down to a Tee. The non-football scenes were alright. The scenes for the footballers were Awful. Been poorly directed and edited. This should Never have been made for TV. See more Anna B @RT15468010 Jun 3 Absolutely loved this. Had wanted to see the original theatre production originally but this more than made up for missing out on that. This show beautifully explains why England fans are so passionate and why it’s *never* just a game. I will always believe Southgate was a heroic and legendary manager we should all be grateful for, and it was so good to see him immortalised this way. Joseph Fiennes proves himself one of our most superb actors in the lead role and writer James Graham is a genius. Together they have turned England’s travails on the pitch from 2018-2024 into something approaching Shakespeare. It made me cry. More than once. See more Stan G @Marbury Jun 2 Only watched episode 1 and found it enlightening. The build up to and the Penalties scene is absolutely outstanding and even better that I couldn't remember in reality how it panned out. See more Lewis J @RT59016852 Jun 1 Overall this show highlights what Southgate did well during his time with England. Some very interesting themes to do with racism and the worst of England fans. Some brilliant impressions of England players (particularly Harry Kane), though these can feel slightly cringe inducing at times, often when the shot is lingering for too long. Part of the reason the original stage play was so good was that it wasn't four hours long. It does feel they had to fill a lot of time with some pretty boring scenes, but most of the time they filled time with Gareth losing his mind over his penalty miss decades ago. See more Read all reviews
Dear England — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Joseph Fiennes

Gareth Southgate

Jodie Whittaker

Pippa Grange

Daniel Ryan

Steve Holland

Sam Spruell

Mike Webster

John Hodgkinson

Greg Clarke

Bobby Schofield

Wayne Rooney

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired May 24, 2026 With the England team at an all-time low, Gareth Southgate becomes the new manager; haunted by his own penalty miss, Southgate transforms the squad's mindset with a radical new approach. Details Episode 2 Aired May 25, 2026 After a breakthrough World Cup reignites belief, the England team return to a tournament on home turf; Southgate's squad strive to unite the country and finally bring it home. Details Episode 3 Aired May 31, 2026 In the aftermath of the defeat at Wembley, Southgate's guilt weighs heavily on his conscience; when the fans then turn on Southgate, accusing him of prioritising politics over performance, he begins to doubt himself ahead of the World Cup in Qatar. Details Episode 4 Aired Jun 1, 2026 As Euro 2024 begins, England arrive as favorites for Southgate's final tournament; Gareth is forced to make some challenging changes to the team; when the team struggles unexpectedly and pressure mounts, Gareth wonders how his story will end. Details

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Dear England — Season 1

Dear England View more photos

Season Info

Director
Paul Whittington, Rupert Goold
Executive Producer
Andy Harries, Rebecca Hodgson, James Graham, Rupert Goold, Paul Whittington
Screenwriter
James Graham
Network
BBC
Genre
Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date
May 24, 2026