Emmy-nominated series The Great, starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, returns to Channel 4 this summer for a second series, which now sees Catherine finally taking the Russian throne for her own – but she will quickly learn that dethroning her husband was just the beginning. Catherine must now face the realities of ‘liberating’ a country that doesn’t want to be free.

Her fight to bring enlightenment to Russia will mean battling her own court and those closest to her, including her own mother, played by guest star Gillian Anderson (“The Crown”). She will also battle her own heart as she continues to navigate her relationship with Peter. Ultimately, Catherine will learn that to change a country, you must let it change you, that there is a fine line between idealism and delusion, and that becoming 'Great' will ask more of her than she could have imagined.

The series stars Elle Fanning as Catherine, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sacha Dhawan, Bayo Gbadamosi and Belinda Bromilow.

The Great is created, written and executive produced by Tony McNamara and executive produced by Marian Macgowan, Mark Winemaker, Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Echo Lake’s Brittany Kahan Ward, Doug Mankoff and Andrew Spaulding, Thruline’s Josh Kesselman and Ron West, and Matt Shakman.

The series has garnered notable awards recognition since its U.S. debut in 2020, including multiple Emmy, SAG Award, Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globe nominations. “The Great” has also been nominated for four Writers Guild Awards, with Tony McNamara winning for Episodic Comedy in 2021.