Alicia von Rittberg, who starred alongside Brad Pitt in the movie Fury, will be in Wells this week to film a new TV series entitled Becoming Elizabeth.

Production company Forge Entertainment has confirmed to Wells Nub News that von Rittberg will be in the city for the filming of the eight-part series that tells the story of the early life of Elizabeth I as she ascended to the throne.

St Andrew's Street alongside Wells Cathedral Green will be closed off this week for the filming, which is allowed to continue under the government's coronavirus guidelines.

A Forge spokesperson told Wells Nub News: "The safety of our cast, crew, the communities, businesses and suppliers that we work with is paramount.

"We have robust Covid health and safety measures in place which we continuously monitor and strengthen as more information becomes available, to make sure both our teams and the wider public are safe.

"Guidance from the Government and Department of Culture, Media and Sport states that film and TV production can continue during the current lockdown, and therefore production on Becoming Elizabeth is proceeding in line with other film and television productions across the UK."

Becoming Elizabeth is being produced to be shown on the Starzplay app, much like the Spanish Princess, which had scenes from both its first two seasons filmed in Wells.

Becoming Elizabeth is the untold story of the early life of England's most iconic Queen. Long before she ascended the throne, young Elizabeth Tudor was an orphaned teenager who became embroiled in the political and sexual politics of the English court.

With no clear heir, the death of King Henry VIII sets into motion a dangerous scramble for power. His surviving children find themselves pawns in a game between the great families of England and the powers of Europe who vie for control of the country.

Elizabeth struggles to control her own destiny and take real power as the men around her attempt to claim her sovereignty.

Her factual journey to secure the crown is filled with scheming, betrayal and illicit relationships that threaten to bring forth her demise at a time in which every man or woman of the court is on the wheel of fortune, which may take them to a position of great power one moment, or the executioner's block the next.

This is the second time that Elizabeth I has been the focus of filming in Wells, with the Cate Blanchett movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age being shot in the city in the mid-2000s.

As well as starring in the war movie Fury, German actress Alicia von Rittberg's credits include Genius: Einstein and The Midwife.

Residents of Wells who might be tempted to pop down to the cathedral to have a look at the filming are reminded of the lockdown restrictions, and they should only be leaving their homes if they have a reasonable excuse, such as for exercise or to buy essential items.

Meanwhile, the series A Discovery of Witches, which was filmed in Wells in November 2019, is currently being shown on Sky One.