Brenda Blethyn headlines new remake A Woman of Substance as premiere dates and U.S. streamer deal land
brenda blethyn will make her first television appearance since Vera ended when the new eight-part period drama A Woman of Substance premieres. The adaptation confirms a staggered launch of its opening episodes and a U. S. streaming agreement, underscoring a major push for the reimagining of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s bestselling novel.
Brenda Blethyn returns in A Woman of Substance
Brenda Blethyn plays the older Emma Harte while Jessica Reynolds portrays the younger Emma across different time periods. This casting marks Blethyn’s first role since the conclusion of Vera, and places her at the centre of a rags-to-riches story spanning much of the 20th century.
Release schedule and how to watch
The eight-part series will premiere with its first two episodes on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 March at 9pm on the UK broadcaster that commissioned the drama. Viewers will also be able to watch the full eight-part run as a boxset following the transmission of the first episode. Each instalment is 60 minutes in length.
Plot, tone and trailer highlights
Set in 1911, the adaptation follows Emma Harte, an impoverished and ambitious maid in Yorkshire whose trajectory takes her to the top of global wealth. The officially released synopsis frames the tale as a dizzying journey from a Yorkshire house to a sprawling New York penthouse, and describes Emma as a 20th-century feminist icon who defies societal expectations and refuses to know her "place. " Promotional footage presents Blethyn’s older Emma in New York pursuing revenge, before cutting back to the younger Emma at a grand house and cautioned about her ambition. The drama is described in promotional materials as a revenge-fuelled masterplan driven by the betrayal of Emma’s daughter, Elizabeth.
Cast and creative team
The ensemble includes a wide roster of performers: Leanne Best, Ewan Horrocks, Harry Cadby, Niall Wright and Robert Wilfort, with additional appearances by Toby Regbo, Hiftu Quasem, Sophie Bould, Georgina Sadler and Jo Joyner. Other named cast members cited in coverage include Jo Joyner as Elizabeth Harte Ainsley, Emmett J. Scanlan as Adam Fairley, Lydia Leonard as Olivia Wainwright, Will Mellor as Jack Harte and Lenny Rush as Frank Harte. The script was written by Katherine Jakeways with co-writing from Roanne Bardsley.
Filming locations and production timeline
Production was filmed across Yorkshire, with specific locations noted as Broughton Hall in North Yorkshire, Barnsley Town Hall, Brodsworth Hall and Gardens in Doncaster, and multiple sites across the Liverpool waterfront which were dressed to represent early 20th-century New York. Jessica Reynolds noted on social media that production took place in "lovely Leeds" and surrounding Yorkshire; she also indicated that filming lasted around 19 weeks and confirmed wrap in a social media post celebrating her time as Emma.
Adaptation history, author note and legacy
The new version is a remake of an earlier adaptation produced 40 years ago for the same UK broadcaster. That 1980s miniseries starred Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr and remains one of that broadcaster’s most successful dramas; its final episode still ranks as the highest-rated programme in the channel’s history. The source novel was a multimillion-selling title first published in 1979 by Barbara Taylor Bradford. News of the new series emerged shortly after the author’s death in late 2024; she was 91.
International sales and U. S. streaming
The series has already attracted international buyers: rights have been secured for territories including Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Greece, Israel and Iceland. A U. S. streaming service has acquired U. S. streaming rights after a negotiation led by the international sales team; the executive who negotiated the U. S. deal was named as Matt Creasey, EVP Sales, Acquisitions and Coproductions. The production company behind the series has been cited as the team responsible for the project.
This remake positions the central Emma Harte storyline for a new generation while leaning on the scale and nostalgia of the original television event. With premiere dates, a confirmed international sales push and a major-name lead returning to television, the series will test whether the story can match the cultural impact of its predecessor.
