The BBC period drama Miss Austen, which debuted in February to critical acclaim, has been renewed for a second season. The series, starring Keeley Hawes as Cassandra Austen, reimagines the life of Jane Austen's sister as she seeks to protect the novelist's legacy.
The second series will be 'largely based' on Gill Hornby's most recent novel, The Elopement, and is set in 1820. It will centre on Mary Dorothea Knatchbull, the daughter of Jane Austen's niece, Fanny Knight. Andrea Gibb, who penned the first series, will return to write the second.
Executive producer Susanne Simpson said: 'After the success of Miss Austen, I am thrilled to be working again with the incredible author Gill Hornby, and the impressive team of Andrea Gibb and Christine Langan. I am pleased to announce the return of the series just as we are about to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth.' Christine Langan added: 'Fueled by another wonderful Gill Hornby novel, the journey of Miss Austen continues, going deeper into the intimate life of the Austen family.'
The first series, set in 1830, followed Cassandra visiting the Fowle family and searching for letters written by Jane to destroy them. It featured flashbacks to the sisters' younger lives and societal challenges. The cast included Patsy Ferran as Jane Austen, Jessica Hynes as Mary Austen, Rose Leslie, Max Irons, and Phyllis Logan.
Fans praised the four-part drama as 'fantastic', 'absolutely superb', and 'the very best of the BBC'. One viewer described Jane's deathbed scene as 'heartbreaking'. The second series is expected to air in 2025, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth.
