Johnson may not be flattered by his portrayal in This England, says director

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Director Michael Winterbottom has said he does not think Boris Johnson will be “flattered” by his portrayal in his new series, This England, but hopes he will watch anyway. Asked whether he thought the former prime minister would like how he is portrayed, Winterbottom told the PA news agency: “I don’t know. “Obviously, lots of people do very funny impressions of Boris, but we wanted to try and get away from that and try and root him a little bit more and make him a little bit more complex than the pastiches of him often are.” Winterbottom, whose others films include 24 Hour Party People and Welcome To Sarajevo, also suggested his and Sir Kenneth’s take on the PM may not please everyone. “And I think that’s true of all the things – depending on your perspective you probably see it in a different way.” This England airs on Sky Atlantic on Wednesday September 28.