The first part of To the Ends of the Earth was broadcast on 6 July 2005. Williams Golding’s trilogy of sea novels - Rites of Passage, Close Quarters and Fire Down Below - was adapted into three feature length episodes by Leigh Jackson and Tony Basgallop, directed by David Attwood.
The drama is set in 1812, on board an ageing warship travelling to Australia. The action is seen through the eyes of Edmund Talbot, who starts the journey as a naïve and arrogant young aristocrat. Talbot was played by the rising star Benedict Cumberbatch, who put in a striking performance that kept viewers riveted. The strong supporting cast included Jared Harris, Sam Neil, Joanna Page, Victoria Hamilton and Charles Dance.
To the Ends of The Earth was filmed in South Africa on sets of the ships that were floated on water, in part to achieve the sensation of movement at sea. The production had to overcome extreme weather during filming, but achieved a result that captured the claustrophobia of being on board ship for a nine month voyage that was praised for its depiction of life at sea.
Attwood went on to direct Cumberbatch again, in the drama Stuart: a Life Backwards. Cumberbatch went on to greater success with the 成人快手, playing Holmes in the acclaimed drama Sherlock.
July anniversaries
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Investiture of the Prince of Wales
1 July 1969 -
Masterchef
2 July 1990 -
成人快手 Television News and Newsreel
5 July 1954 -
To the Ends of the Earth
6 July 2005 -
Hancock's Half Hour television show
6 July 1956 -
London Calling Europe began
6 July 1941 -
The Old Man of Hoy
8 July 1967 -
The first episode of The Office
9 July 2001 -
Andy Pandy
11 July 1950 -
It's That Man Again
12 July 1939 -
Watchdog
14 July 1985 -
What's My Line
16 July 1951 -
Toytown first transmitted
19 July 1929 -
Pot Black first transmitted
23 July 1969 -
Countryfile first broadcast
24 July 1988 -
Start of the Light Programme
29 July 1945 -
Olympic Games from Wembley first televised
29 July 1948 -
The Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
29 July 1981 -
The World Cup Final
30 July 1966 -
Dad's Army
31 July 1968