Channel 4 has officially greenlit the second series of its hit drama A Woman of Substance, starring Brenda Blethyn and Jessica Reynolds. Production is set to begin in Yorkshire later this year, following the first series becoming the broadcaster's most-watched drama in five years since It's a Sin.
Return of Emma Harte
The series, adapted from Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE's globally acclaimed novels, follows the extraordinary journey of Emma Harte, a housemaid who rises to become a business mogul, daughter, mother, lover, fighter, and 20th-century feminist icon. The first series concluded with Emma's granddaughter and chosen successor, Paula, revealing she had secretly married into the Fairley family, potentially undoing a lifetime of revenge.
Synopsis for Series Two
According to the official synopsis: "In this 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 is unrelenting, as is her determination to make the Fairley family pay. But she has passion to contend with, in the form of the infuriatingly charismatic Paul McGill, and she'll also endure devastating loss and face 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's one thing to reach the top, and another to stay there."
Record-Breaking Success
The first series averaged 3 million viewers per episode, making it Channel 4 streaming's most-watched drama in half a decade. Interim Head of Channel 4 Drama, Gwawr Lloyd, stated: "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."
Cast and Creative Team
Brenda Blethyn reprises her role as the older Emma Harte, with Jessica Reynolds playing the younger version. Katherine Jakeways (The Buccaneers) returns as writer for series two, alongside Roanne Bardsley (The Buccaneers, Screw). The second series will consist of eight hour-long episodes.
H. E. Vicki Downey, Trustee of The Barbara Taylor Bradford Trust, added: "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."
