The Other Bennet Sister
Genre Period drama
Based on The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
Screenplay by
  • Sarah Quintrell
  • Maddie Dai
Directed by Jennifer Sheridan
Starring Ella Bruccoleri
Composer Anne Chmelewsky
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 10
Production
Executive producers
  • Janice Hadlow
  • Sarah Quintrell
  • Dan McCulloch
  • Kate Crowther
  • Becca Kinder
  • Jane Tranter
  • Rebecca Ferguson
Production companies
  • Bad Wolf
  • Sony Pictures Television
Original release
Network BBC One
Release 15 March 2026 (2026-03-15) –
present

The Other Bennet Sister is a British period drama television series produced by Bad Wolf for BBC One. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Janice Hadlow based on characters created by Jane Austen, with Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet. The series premiered on 15 March 2026.

Premise

The first part of the series follows the events from Pride and Prejudice from Mary Bennet's point of view, before the story departs from that to follow Mary as she travels to London and the Lake District and the overlooked sister from the big Bennet family has a romantic adventure in Regency England.[1][2]

Cast and characters

  • Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet
  • Ruth Jones as Mrs Bennet
  • Richard E. Grant as Mr Bennet
  • Indira Varma as Mrs Gardiner
  • Richard Coyle as Mr Gardiner
  • Róisín Bhalla as Marianne
  • Reggie Absolom as George
  • Jasmine Sharp as Rebecca
  • Laurie Davidson as Mr Ryder
  • Dónal Finn as Mr Hayward
  • Varada Sethu as Ann Baxter
  • Aaron Gill as John Sparrow
  • Maddie Close as Jane
  • Poppy Gilbert as Lizzie
  • Molly Wright as Kitty
  • Grace Hogg-Robinson as Lydia
  • Tanya Reynolds as Caroline Bingley
  • Anna Fenton-Garvey as Charlotte Lucas
  • Ryan Sampson as Mr Collins
  • Lucy Briers as Mrs Hill

Production

The ten-part series is adapted by Sarah Quintrell from the 2020 novel of the same name by Janice Hadlow, based around the character Mary Bennet from the Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice, with Maddie Dai also writing an episode.[3] It is lead directed by Jennifer Sheridan.[4]

It is produced by Bad Wolf for whom Dan McCulloch developed the project. Quintrell and Hadlow are executive producers with Kate Crowther, Becca Kinder and Jane Tranter as executive producers for Bad Wolf and Rebecca Ferguson as executive producer for the BBC. Sony Pictures Television has global rights.[5] In May 2025, BritBox was announced to be is co-producer with broadcasting rights in the U.S. and Canada.[6]

In May 2025, Ella Bruccoleri was announced as leading the cast in the role of Mary Bennet.[7] The following month, Ruth Jones, Richard E. Grant, Richard Coyle and Indira Varma joined the cast, as well as Roisin Bhalla, Reggie Absolom and Jasmine Sharp, Laurie Davidson, Dónal Finn and Varada Sethu with Aaron Gill, Maddie Close, Poppy Gilbert, Molly Wright, Grace Hogg-Robinson, Tanya Reynolds, Anna Fenton-Garvey and Ryan Sampson.[8] The cast also includes Lucy Briers, who had played Mary Bennet in the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

Filming took place in Bristol and Wales in June 2025.[9][10]

Broadcast

The series premiered on 15 March 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.[3][11]

References

  1. ^ Cormack, Morgan (10 October 2024). "Pride and Prejudice spin-off The Other Bennet Sister announced by BBC". Radio Times. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  2. ^ Singh, Anita (27 May 2025). "BBC Jane Austen drama won't have posh accents, makers say". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b Ritman, Alex (11 December 2025). "'The Other Bennet Sister' First Look: Richard E. Grant and Ruth Jones Play Discerning Parents in 'Pride & Prejudice' Spinoff From BBC, BritBox (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  4. ^ "The Other Bennet Sister Mary causes quite a spectacle in first look clip". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  5. ^ Yossman, K.J. (9 October 2024). "BBC Revisits 'Pride and Prejudice' With Mary Spinoff Titled 'The Other Bennet Sister'". Variety. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  6. ^ Goldbart, Max (14 May 2025). "BritBox Boards BBC's 'The Other Bennet Sister' As Exec Jane Tranter Says "Creative Solutions" Required To Overcome U.S. Co-Pro Slump". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  7. ^ Sarrubba, Stefania (22 May 2025). "Call the Midwife star confirmed for Jane Austen role in new "beautiful" BBC period drama". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  8. ^ Kanter, Jake (17 June 2025). "'The Other Bennet Sister': Richard E. Grant, Ruth Jones & Indira Varma Join BBC/BritBox Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  9. ^ Kendall, Ellie (12 June 2025). "BBC and Channel 5 period dramas filming just streets from each other in Bristol". Bristol Post. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  10. ^ "The Other Bennet Sister: Filming starts, cast revealed". Televisual. 17 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  11. ^ "The Other Bennet Sister first trailer revealed as air dates confirmed" (Press release). BBC. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.