The highly anticipated show based on the Irish brewing dynasty, House of Guinness, had its premiere on Tuesday night in London ahead of the series release on Netflix on Thursday 25th September. Stephen Knight, Oscar-nominated writer of the show and of Peaky Blinders, confirmed a second season exclusively to HELLO! at the event. When asked whether there would be a second season, the screenwriter confirmed, "We are".
The stellar line-up is a fine mix of upcoming Hollywood talent such as Louis Partridge (also the boyfriend of American pop star Olivia Rodrigo), James Norton, and Irish critically acclaimed actors such as Anthony Boyle. The line-up of female talent includes Niamh McCormack (Everything Now) and Elizabeth Dulau (Andor) – so there was quite the buzz at the premiere about the crop of rising stars, as this show is tipped for success.
With many huge Irish names making their way into Hollywood, such as Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, HELLO! asked Stephen if there were any other Irish names he would like to work with: "Oh God, there's so many, there's so much talent out there which is Irish. We'd be looking at all sorts of people." Perhaps fans can expect to see more big names featured in the next season...
Here's everything you need to know about House of Guinness…
What is the show about?
Taking viewers back to Dublin in the 1860s, a time of stately mansions, the powerful Guinness family face the challenge of taking on one of the biggest breweries in the world after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness (Fionn O'Shea). It’s then up to his children – Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), and Anne (Emily Fairn) – to live up to the big name, not without a lot of drama along the way. Probably the best way to describe the plot is to compare it to the synopsis of Succession, the HBO series in which the Roy family fight for control of their family company. What makes House of Guinness stand out is its focus on the younger generation in the family. Stephen told HELLO!: "The people we're depicting were in their 20s, they were young men and women when this inheritance came to them, and it's the same with the actors."
'There's so many, there's so much talent out there which is Irish'
Who's in it?
The main cast includes Anthony Boyle (Masters of the Air) as Arthur Guinness, Louis Partridge (Enola Holmes) as Edward Guinness, Emily Fairn as Anne Plunket, Fionn O'Shea (Normal People) as Benjamin Guinness, James Norton (Happy Valley) as Sean Rafferty, Niamh McCormack as Ellen Cochrane, and Jack Gleeson (Game of Thrones) as Byron Hedges.
British writer Steven Knight wrote the screenplays for Peaky Blinders, SAS: Rogue Heroes, and A Thousand Blows, and is writing the next James Bond film. He was also Oscar-nominated in 2004 for his screenplay Dirty Pretty Things.
Where can I watch it?
House of Guinness will be ready to binge-watch when all eight episodes drop on Netflix on 25th September. With a confirmation of a second season, it sounds like a lot more Guinness is to be had…