Filming Begins On ‘Gentleman Jack’ Season 2
Filming has begun in Halifax this week for Season 2 of Sally Wainwright’s award-winning hit ‘Gentleman Jack‘ the BBC has announced.
The second season will see Suranne Jones return as the remarkable Anne Lister, with Sophie Rundle reprising her role as Ann Walker as we return to Yorkshire in 1843. All eyes are on the duo as they set up home together at Shibden Hall as wife and wife, determined to combine their estates and become a power couple. Anne Lister’s entrepreneurial spirit frightens the locals as much as her unconventional love life and, with Halifax on the brink of revolution, her refusal to keep a low profile becomes provocative and dangerous.
The series will, once again, use the real-life diaries of Anne Lister – part of which were written in code – as its source, with every part of Lister’s story based in historical fact and the five million words she wrote in her journals.
“I’m more thrilled than I’ve ever been about anything that we’re returning with a new series of Gentleman Jack. We’ve had such an extraordinary response from so many viewers all over the world about the first series, and I can’t wait to show them what we’ve come up with this time,” commented Sally Wainwright. “Their excitement for the show has been a joy, and an inspiration. I’ve been in a little bit of heaven once again spending so much time deep in Anne’s diaries as I’ve written the scripts, and can’t wait to see the fabulous, joyous magic and detail that Suranne and Sophie will bring to it all. As ever it’s been a real pleasure working with Faith and the super cool team at Lookout Point, and our wonderful supportive teams at the BBC and HBO. I’m so excited and happy for this series, I hope people love it as much as they did the first.”
Also returning to Shibden Hall for the new series are Gemma Whelan as Marian Lister, Gemma Jones as Aunt Anne Lister, and Timothy West as Jeremy Lister. They are joined by many returning cast including Lydia Leonard (Mariana Lawton), Jodhi May (Lady Vere Cameron), Katherine Kelly (Elizabeth Sutherland), Derek Riddell (Captain George Sutherland), Stephanie Cole (Aunt Ann Walker), Peter Davison (William Priestley), Amelia Bullmore (Eliza Priestley), Vincent Franklin (Christopher Rawson), Shaun Dooley (Jeremiah Rawson), Rosie Cavaliero (Elizabeth Cordingley), Joe Armstrong (Samuel Washington), Anthony Flanagan (Ben Sowden), George Costigan (James Holt).
Joanna Scanlan (‘No Offence’, ‘The Thick Of It’) will join as guest cast for Season 2 in the role of Anne Lister’s outrageous former lover Isabella ‘Tib’ Norcliffe.
“I’m so happy to be back in beautiful Yorkshire, back with my favourite team, back with Sophie and this amazing cast and of course I’m so honoured to be returning as Anne Lister. Sally’s scripts are detailed and wonderfully human as ever,” commented Suranne Jones. Sophie Rundle adds “I feel very lucky to be heading back to Halifax to tell more of this extraordinary story that has meant so much to so many people all over the world. It is a privilege to be able to make more of this brilliant, brave show with such a talented cast and crew.”
Together with independent health and safety consultants, in full consultation with industry partners and the local authorities, and in accordance with all current government guidelines on Covid-19, Gentleman Jack’s production team will adhere to comprehensive protocols to ensure that the new series is produced in a safe and responsible manner during this time of global pandemic.
“The phenomenal response from BBC One viewers to Gentleman Jack series one was testament to the peerless work of Sally, Suranne and the team. In light of government guidelines allowing for UK film and television production to continue,” said Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. “I’m delighted that cameras are now rolling on the next chapter of Anne Lister’s extraordinary life.”
‘Gentleman Jack’ Season 1 was a hit for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, averaging 6.8 million viewers across its eight-episode run. It won the RTS Drama Series award and received Bafta nominations in the Drama Series category, as well as the Leading Actress category for Suranne Jones’ performance. Internationally the series won the BANFF Rockie Award for Drama Series: English Language.
Season 2 of the drama, which consists of eight, hour-long, episodes, was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. Executive Producers are Sally Wainwright and Suranne Jones; Faith Penhale and Will Johnston for Lookout Point, and Ben Irving for BBC One. The new series will be directed by Edward Hall, Amanda Brotchie and Fergus O’Brien, produced by Lookout Point for BBC One, and co-produced with HBO. Phil Collinson returns as series producer, with Stella Merz joining as producer. Lookout Point is a BBC Studios company.
‘Gentleman Jack‘ Season 2 will likely premiere in 2021 on BBC One in the UK, and HBO in the USA.
