Channel 4 has announced that ‘A Woman of Substance’ will return for a second series, with Brenda Blethyn (Vera, Pride and Prejudice) and Jessica Reynolds (Kneecap, The Wolf, The Fox & The Leopard) both back as the iconic Emma Harte.
Produced by The Forge Entertainment, a Banijay UK company, the drama is based on the bestselling novels by Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE, following Emma Harte, a housemaid-turned-mogul, daughter, mother, lover, fighter, and a 20th-century feminist icon who refused to know her “place.”
The renewal is not hugely surprising, given the first series of ‘A Woman of Substance’ was Channel 4 streaming’s most-watched drama in five years, since ‘It’s a Sin’, with an average audience of 3 million per episode.
Series one ended with Emma’s granddaughter and chosen heir, Paula, revealing she had secretly married into the Fairley family, a move which could potentially undo a lifetime of revenge. In the new series, we rejoin the unstoppable Emma Harte as she emerges from World War I and strides into the glittering, fast-changing world of the 1920s.
Emma’s ambition for the Harte name remains unrelenting, as does her determination to make the Fairley family pay. However, she will have passion to contend with in the form of the infuriatingly charismatic Paul McGill, along with devastating loss and unexpected betrayals from those she holds most dear. Meanwhile, in the 1970s, Emma battles to win back her life’s work from Jim Fairley. It is one thing to reach the top, and another to stay there…
Gwawr Lloyd, Interim Head of Channel 4 drama, says: “Following the incredible success and popularity of the brilliant first series, we’re thrilled to be bringing the incomparable and iconic Emma Harte back to Channel 4 again. Series two will continue Emma’s story with all the ambition, drama and family intrigue that made A Woman of Substance such a compelling and irresistible watch.
I’d like to thank writers Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Bardsley, who I’m delighted to say are returning to pen the second series, alongside executive producers Beth Willis and Joe Innes from The Forge Entertainment, for their commitment to the show. I’d also like to thank Brenda Blethyn and Jessica Reynolds for bringing Emma Harte to life with such passion, along with all the cast who ensured that series one captured the audience’s hearts.”
Katherine Jakeways (The Buccaneers) returns to write series two alongside Roanne Bardsley (The Buccaneers, Screw), with filming due to begin in Yorkshire later this year.
Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Bardsley, writers and executive producers, say: “We couldn’t be more delighted to be back with our beloved Emma Harte. The higher she climbs, the greater the risks, and we’re looking forward to more of everything we adore – heart-soaring romance, gut-wrenching loss, and of course, delicious revenge. Huge thanks to Channel 4, Banijay and The Forge for being as obsessed with Barbara Taylor Bradford’s world as we are.
Beth Willis, Executive Producer and co-Managing Director at The Forge Entertainment, says: “The Forge are so delighted to dive back into the delicious world of Emma Harte for Channel 4. It’s a privilege to be working again with the ultimate Women of Substance – the incredible Jessica Reynolds and Brenda Blethyn, Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Bardsley – and of course The Barbara Taylor Bradford Trust.”
H.E. Vicki Downey, Trustee of The Barbara Taylor Bradford Trust says: “Emma Harte is a woman who refuses to be defeated by poverty, by betrayal and by the limitations others place upon her. That story has resonated with readers for nearly five decades, and it is clear from the response to the new TV adaptation that audiences feel exactly the same connection. There is so much more of Emma’s world to explore, and we are thrilled that Channel 4 is bringing the next part of Emma’s extraordinary life to the screen.”
The 8×60” drama series is produced by The Forge Entertainment, with executive producers Beth Willis, Joe Innes, Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Bardsley, alongside The Barbara Taylor Bradford Trust. Richard Senior directs, with Banijay Rights handling international distribution.
‘A Woman of Substance’ Season 2 does not yet have a premiere date on Channel 4. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
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