Adrian Schiller

In his first screen drama, best-selling British novelist Patrick Gale tells two gay love stories, 60 years apart - stories linked by family, and by a painting that holds a secret that echoes down the generations.

The ambitious eight-part drama follows the early life of Queen Victoria, from her accession to the throne at the tender age of 18 through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. Victoria went on to rule for 63 years, and was our longest-serving monarch until she was overtaken by Elizabeth II on 9th September this year. Rufus Sewell stars as Lord Melbourne, Victoria's first prime minister. The two immediately connected and their intimate friendship became a popular source of gossip that threatened to destabilize the Government - angering both Tory and Whigs alike.

This eight-episode, hourlong historical drama series is adapted from Bernard Cornwell's best-selling novels, The Saxon Stories by writer Stephen Butchard.