The Tudors is a British-Canadian historical fiction television series set primarily in 16th-century England. The series was a collaboration among American, British, and Canadian producers, and was filmed mostly in Ireland. It premiered on Showtime on 1 April 2007; it was the highest-rated Showtime series in three years. The BBC acquired exclusive broadcast rights for the series in the United Kingdom, which it started to broadcast on 5 October 2007.