Leonardo is a British action-adventure television series which aired on CBBC for two series from 11 April 2011 to 6 December 2012. Set in 15th-century Florence, the show follows the adventures of a teenage Leonardo da Vinci played by Jonathan Bailey.
Premise The story follows teenage Leonardo da Vinci played by Jonathan Bailey and his friends which includes the wealthy son of a powerful aristocrat Lorenzo De Medici (Colin Ryan), a girl disguising herself as a boy so she can become an artist Lisa Gherardini (Flora Spencer-Longhurst), and cunning manipulator Machiavelli (Akemnji Ndifornyen). Inspired by the inventive genius of the real life Leonardo, the series re-imagines da Vinci as a teenage action hero, who finds himself drawn into the dangerous schemes of the Luminari - a sinister secret society who plot to take over Florence. They have stolen Leonardo's notebook and want to use Leonardo's design to create deadly weapons to kill the Duke and allow their leader Piero de'Medici to take over Florence.
Series 1 Leonardo and his friends work together to recover Leonardo's notebook which has been stolen from the dangerous Luminari - a secret society who lurk in the catacombs of Florence. With Leonardo's intelligence and penchant for brilliant inventions, Lorenzo's wealth and status, Lisa's street smarts and Mac's cunning and network of spies and child pickpockets, it's up to the gang to stop Piero and save Florence. Only, the friends don't know the head of the secret society they are trying to thwart is Lorenzo's father. And when Lorenzo discovers the truth about his father what side will he choose?
Series 2 After siding with his father and trying to take down the Duke during the series one finale, Lorenzo has lost his friends. Leonardo, Lisa and Mac refuse to forgive his betrayal and Lorenzo refuses to apologise. But when Leonardo and Lisa's mentor and surrogate father-figure Verrocchio is framed for murder Lorenzo tries everything in his power to help, pleading with his father Piero (now played by James Clyde) and even arranging an escape attempt. They manage to free Verrocchio but Lorenzo is forced into an arranged marriage and then kidnapped and it's up to his friends to save him. The friends are convinced Piero is the one behind Verrocchio's framing and Lorenzo's kidnapping but when the Duke is murdered by a Milanese assassin the friends have no choice but to team up with Piero to help protect Florence and avenge the Duke's death. Only, Lorenzo discovers it wasn't Milan who killed the Duke it was his own father. Once again he is faced with an impossible choice, his friends or his father? Whatever he decides he has to decide quick as Piero with the help of Leonardo has created deadly weapons like armoured tanks to wage war against Milan.
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