Kuruluş: Osman, the follow-up series to Diriliş: Ertuğrul, starts on Wednesday

Kuruluş: Osman, the eagerly awaited follow-up to blockbuster period drama Diriliş: Ertuğrul [‘Resurrection: Ertugrul’] is set to hit Turkish TV screens on Wednesday evening, 20 November.

Starring Burak Özçivit (pictured top), the new  series about the life of Osman I, the founder of Ottoman Empire, will be broadcast weekly on ATV.

The makers of Diriliş: Ertuğrul Bozdağ Film are behind the latest historical drama. They will be hoping it emulates the success of their five-season epic about the father of the Ottoman dynasty.

Diriliş: Ertuğrul broke records during its run on state broadcaster TRT, and also attracted huge audiences worldwide. The series was broadcast across the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, with millions more watching the series online. Viewers were hooked as Ertuğrul battled crusaders, Mongols, Byzantines, and plenty of treacherous Turks, prompting comparisons to ‘Game of Thrones’.

The Turks’ fascination with their Ottoman roots continues with Kuruluş: Osman. Trailers for the new series have already received 100 million views. It charts the rise of Osman, Ertuğrul’s third son, played by Turkish heartthrob Özçivit, who previously appeared in hit TV soaps Kara Sevda [‘Endless Love’] and Muhteşem Yüzyıl [‘Magnificent Century’].

The opening episode on Wednesday evening will show Osman following in his father’s footsteps as he heroically thwarts a new plot by neighbouring Byzantines, making him the darling of the Kaya tribe.

The programme starts at 8pm (5pm UK time) on ATV, and will be via available online afterwards.