Following a wildly successful run in the West End, James Graham’s Dear England has been adapted into a four-part BBC drama series. Chronicling Gareth Southgate’s tenure with England – from Euros campaigns to World Cups, from the brink of historic success to heartbreak – the story is as much about football as it is about mentality, sociology, politics and modern English identity. In the show, rising British actor Jacob Greenway steps into the boots of Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid and England superstar who emerged as one of the defining talents of Southgate’s new era. Speaking to us, Greenway talks about capturing the squad’s mentality, mastering Bellingham’s Brummie twang, and recreating that iconic 95th-minute overhead kick against Slovakia.

Alex James Taylor: You had the premiere the other night – how was that?
Jacob Greenway: It was really cool. I’d seen the first episode at the cast screening, but seeing it again just reminded me how powerful and how amazing it is. It was also my first time doing a red carpet, so it was a great experience and a positive atmosphere to be in.

AJT: Can you go back and take me through when you first got the script, when you first got the role?
JG: I got sent the audition through my agent, just like any other, and when I first got it, I wasn’t too sure about it, to be honest, because I’m not really a huge football fan. I auditioned for it and then they called me back for a recall. I did more research on the story, on Gareth Southgate and Jude Bellingham, and I watched his documentary [Real Madrid: How Could I Not Love You?]. I just had a lot of respect for him as a person. Obviously he’s a very talented player, and I thought, “What an amazing privilege it would be to be able to tell his story.” I really worked on his Birmingham accent – I think on that first audition, I wasn’t on the money with it, but I got some coaching and really worked hard on it. Then they called me into the room off the back of my second self-tape and I worked through the scenes with Paul Whittington, the director. We had a chat about it, spoke about the role, and I felt really positive leaving that room. 

“Obviously he’s a very talented player, and I thought, “What an amazing privilege it would be to be able to tell his story.””

AJT: It’s a cool show because obviously it’s about football, but it also dives into the cultural aspect of it, the politics, the sociology. Do you remember that time? Looking back, it’s interesting how much politics and sport were interlinked during that period.
JG: One hundred percent. Like you said, the story is grounded in football, but at the heart of it, it’s a really human story. It’s really about psychology and what it means to carry the weight of national expectation and the pressures that come with that. I think people are really going to enjoy it and receive it well – what better way to get people excited for the World Cup?

AJT: When you were filming, what was it like being with that group of lads? Did you get into that team mentality – did it feel like that when you sat in the changing room together?
Jacob: Definitely. There was a lot of locker room banter. We trained together for eight weeks with our amazing coach, Tyson, and we were training in character.

AJT: Football training?
JG: Yeah, we were going to North London and training as a team. We trained together for eight weeks, and that really brought us together. So not only were we learning skills and how to play football to look like professional athletes, but we were also just having a load of fun. Tyson would create these little challenges to bond us, and that was so important because then when we came to filming, it just felt so natural. We already had that connection there, we already felt like a team. 

“The story is grounded in football, but at the heart of it, it’s a really human story.”

AJT: Lots of directors put actors through training camps or team bonding sessions on a project, but you all had that naturally through sport.
JG: Yeah, I feel really lucky. And Tyson is also an amazing coach, he’s coached Messi! He’s coached some huge teams, so I felt really safe in his hands.

AJT: I was going to say, your overhead kick was spot on.
JG: [laughs] Did you like it?

AJT: You nailed it! How many takes was that? [both laugh]
Jacob: One! I’m joking. [laughs] It took a couple to get right. It was more about creatively getting everything right, there were so many factors involved. 

AJT: How did you get into Jude’s mindset and mannerisms?
JG: I watched his documentary, his interviews, his press conferences. That really helped me [hone] his accent, which became a huge transformative tool for me to get into character. He has a completely different musicality to me – his tone, his rhythm, his pitch – so I really worked hard because obviously he’s so present and before scenes, I’d have these little mantras that I would say to help me step into his shoes. 

AJT: Lastly, do you think England are going to win it this summer?
JG: I think we’ve got a great chance, and we’ve taken steps in the right direction. What this show does – one of its strengths – is it really lets us appreciate the journey. It’s not always just about the result. It’s about what’s happened along the way – it’s a marathon, not a sprint, but I do think we have a great chance.

AJT: That’s a very Gareth Southgate answer. [both laugh]

Dear England is streaming on BBC iPlayer now.