A KEIGHLEY-born actor is starring in a highly-anticipated new Sky drama about Boris Johnson's response to the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Michael Thompson appears in This England, which examines the handling of the pandemic situation by the then prime minister and his Government colleagues.

The six-part partially-satirical docudrama series premiered on Sky Atlantic and Now on Wednesday (September 28).

It had been scheduled for a launch the previous week, but was postponed to respect the period of national mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

In This England, Michael plays Des – part of a Bradford family which is suffering from both the effects of the disease itself and the Government lockdown restrictions imposed to control its spread. Halifax actor Andrea Waite plays Michael's on-screen wife, Sue.

Kenneth Branagh stars as Boris Johnson in the production, which was penned by Michael Winterbottom.

And others that feature in the series include Salford-born TV and film actor Jim Whelan, who was a familiar face as the vicar in Coronation Street for many years.

"This England – which had a working title of This Sceptered Isle – is set inside the halls of Westminster but it is interwoven with stories from around the country," says Michael, who is formerly of Keighley but now living in Skipton.

"We filmed last autumn in locations around Bradford, Keighley, Hartlepool and London.

"This region figures strongly in the series. Part of my 'set' included being in a car, with mounted cameras, driving around Bradford filming scenes on the go – including around Bradford Royal Infirmary.

"It was great to be a part of it."

Michael's previous film and TV appearances have ranged from playing Phil Mitchell's body double in EastEnders to a Death Eater in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One and Two.

He has also had roles in various popular programmes including Coronation Street, Casualty and Motherland.

And last year he was involved in the making of a short film, Sully Lad.

Produced as a tribute to an unemployed man who had started on heroin when he was 18, and died aged 25, it told the story of his life's final day.

Filming took place in Skipton.

Michael says: "Myself, a Leeds-based production company and several Keighley, Ilkley and Leeds actors and crew came together to produce the film – which is expected to be entered into numerous film festivals worldwide."