The BBC documentary drama Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius is set to broadcast soon and tells the story of the famous writer.

It will attempt to give some fresh insight into his life with it combining cinematic vignettes with contributions from many famous faces.

The three-part series has been produced as part of the BBC's programming block to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare's First Folio.

This is the book that collected the plays William Shakespeare penned during his lifetime together.

A synopsis of the programme from the BBC reads: "Taking a deep dive into Shakespeare’s life story, the place and time he inhabited and the work he produced, the series reveals a dangerous and exciting world filled with bitter rivalries, rebellion, murder and deadly plague, that ignited and nourished his creative genius."

Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius full cast

The cast of the cinematic vignettes showing William Shakespeare's life are:

  • Daniel Boyarsky as William Shakespeare
  • Béla Szomori as Lord Henry Carey
  • Petra Lippai-Horváth as Queen Elizabeth I
  • Máte Kovács as King James
  • Gergely Máté Kiss as Richard Burbage

Meanwhile, the list of famous faces and experts discussing Shakespeare will include:

  • Dame Judi Dench
  • Brian Cox
  • Adrian Lester
  • Lolita Chakrabarti
  • Helen Mirren
  • Martin Freeman
  • Jessie Buckley

Great British Life: The series will include cinematic vignettes showing Shakespeare's lifeThe series will include cinematic vignettes showing Shakespeare's life (Image: BBC/72 Films/Tomi Gacas)

  • James Shapiro
  • Ewan Fernie
  • Jeanette Winterson
  • Brenda Hale
  • Gordon Brown
  • Jeremy O'Harris
  • Professor Farah Karim-Cooper

When will Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius be on TV?

The first episode will air at 9pm on BBC Two on Wednesday, November 8.

The whole box set will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer on the same day