Erin Doherty, who rose to stardom playing Princess Anne in the third and fourth seasons of The Crown, has joined the cast of Disney+ series A Thousand Blows. First announced last year, the twelve episode series is set in the treacherous world of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London, via The Hollywood Reporter.
The show, which is written by Stephen Knight (SAS: Rogue Heroes, Dirty Pretty Things) and executive produced by Steven Graham (This Is England, Venom: Let There Be Carnage), has already begun filming in London. Amongst the supporting cast are Francis Lovehall (Death on the Nile), Jason Tobin (Better Luck Tomorrow), James Nelson-Joyce (The Family Pile), Hannah Walters (Walk Like a Panther), Nadia Albinam (Beautiful People, Doctors), Morgan Hilaire (A Thousand Blows), Jemma Carlton (A Thousand Blows, Maxine) and Caoilfhionn Dunne (Wrath of the Titans).
A Thousand Blows follows the character of Hezekiah played by Malachi Kirby and Alec (Lovehall), two best friends from Jamaica who find themselves caught up in the vibrant and violent world of post-industrial revolution London’s East End. Roped into the criminal underbelly of the thriving boxing scene, Hezekiah meets Mary Carr (Doherty), leader of the infamous The Forty Elephants, a notorious all-female London gang. The pair are then thrust into a battle for survival as they live on the streets. As Hezekiah refines his newfound boxing skills, he comes up against Sugar Goodson (Graham), a well-trained and dangerous boxer and the two are soon locked in an intense rivalry that follows them outside of the ring.
The 12-part series will premiere on Disney+ globally, Star+ in Latin America and Hulu in the U.S., and is being produced by The Story Collective in a co-production with Matriarch Productions and Water & Power Productions.
“I’m really thrilled to be working on this project with Stephen as well as the very talented production team and group of writers,” said Knight in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I always love to delve into untold history, and this is a story that really deserves to be told. We are recreating an amazing world and telling a remarkable true story.”