William Shakespeare is credited for "additional dialogue" as this pilot liberally borrows characters' speeches from Hamlet, Macbeth, Henry V, and (obviously) Richard III.
Peter Cook's appearance in this episode as Richard III caused him some alarm; both John Lloyd and Brian Blessed have recalled that Cook was very nervous about playing the part. Cook was also not fond of adhering to a script and his lines contained many improvisations.
Peter Cook had previously worked with Rowan Atkinson in The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979) and Peter Cook & Co. (1980).
Peter Benson who plays Henry VII, played Henry VI in Richard III (1983), a performance of one of the William Shakespeare plays spoofed here.
Ron Cook, who played Richard III in the BBC Television Shakespeare series alongside Peter Benson, played Sean, The Irish Bastard in the episode The Black Seal (1983).