The new Channel 4 series A Woman of Substance, adapted from Barbara Taylor Bradford's best-selling novel, showcases stunning locations across Yorkshire and Liverpool. Despite its glamorous 1970s New York setting, all scenes were filmed within the UK.
The fictional Fairley Hall is actually Broughton Hall near Skipton, a Grade I-listed Georgian manor over 400 years old. This 17-bedroom mansion, set within the 3,000-acre Broughton Sanctuary, was also used in the 1984 adaptation. Actress Lydia Leonard praised the location, noting it 'becomes almost like another character'. The surrounding Yorkshire Dales landscapes were used for Emma Harte's early life scenes.
Liverpool doubled for 1970s New York, with the Royal Liver Building serving as Emma's grand department store. The iconic Three Graces skyline was digitally enhanced with the Empire State Building in post-production. Other filming sites include Barnsley Council's home (a 1933 landmark), a Victorian mansion with restored gardens, Ilkley Moor, and the open-air museum in County Durham.
A Woman of Substance airs on Channel 4 at 9 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
