THE story of one of York’s most notorious sons is about to be told on the small screen, and the city has once again played a key role.

Guy Fawkes, born in York in 1570, is at the heart of new BBC drama Gunpowder.

The programme stars Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington and Lord of the Rings actor Liv Tyler - but two York-based academics have also played vital roles.

Dr Hannah Greig and Dr John Cooper, from the University of York, are the historical advisors behind the retelling of the infamous plot to blow up the House of Lords in 1605.

Historian Dr Greig said although we are very familiar with the name Guy Fawkes, we don’t know quite as much about the lives and motivations of his fellow plotters.

“Our role as historical advisors is not simply to fact check for anachronisms but to find historically-informed solutions that enable the story to reach the screen in a way that is meaningful to the audience and extends public knowledge of real historical events.”

The Gunpowder Plot is set against a backdrop of a country at war with Catholic Spain, English Catholic persecution, and a new Scottish King on the English throne. The BBC drama focuses on the driving force behind the plot, Robert Catesby, a Warwickshire landowner who wants to see the King overthrown and replaced with his daughter Princess Elizabeth.

Dr Cooper added: “It was a great opportunity to work with Kudos productions in bringing this famous story to life for the small screen. We were able to ask and suggest potential answers to the motivations of these men at a time in our history when risk, threat, and fear were part of daily life.

“What you see on screen are all of the choices that producers, writers, directors, and actors have made in order to tell an engaging story. Dr Greig and I were brought in to present the historical choices that the production team had, and ultimately to empower them to make decisions that are appropriate for their story to avoid the post-production challenge of trying to rectify any mistakes.”

The series, partly filmed in Leeds and Bradford, starts on Saturday, October 21, at 9.10pm on BBC One.