Author and historian Gareth Russell reveals the story of King James VI and I, building a picture of a man who oversaw the creation of the King James Bible, was patron to Shakespeare, stepped up the plantation of Ulster and narrowly escaped being blown up in the Gunpowder Plot. However, in court circles, James was well known for having his 'favourites'; a succession of young, good-looking men, who were welcomed into his inner sanctum as close friends, political advisors and, in many cases, bedfellows. These favoured associates would typically survive for a few years, before James would move on to a newer, younger model, with this story focusing on a sensational murder trial that threatened to shake the monarchy to its core. James McArdle reads extracts from James' letters, writings and speeches