Yahoo Lifestyle BBC releases first look at period drama 'Miss Austen'
A new period drama based around a little-known era of Jane Austen’s life is set to air on the BBC next year.
Miss Austen, based on Gill Hornby’s best-selling book of the same name, observes the mystery as to why Cassandra Austen infamously chose to burn her sister Jane Austen’s letters – a move that many historians and literary experts have lamented over the years. Hornby used this enigma as a compelling plot device, reimagining the story as a lively yet heart-breaking tale of sisterly love.
Miss Austen stars Keeley Hawes as Cassandra, who races to see her young friend Isabella (played by Rose Leslie) after learning that she is set to lose her house after her father's death. While she is there to help Isabella, Cassandra has her own hidden agenda – to uncover private correspondence from her sister Jane, which she fears have the potential to ruin Jane’s legacy.
Upon finding the hidden bundle of letters, Cassandra finds herself transported back to her youth. Told through a sequence of flashbacks, young Cassy (Synnøve Karlsen) and Jane (Patsy Ferran) are then seen to navigate the numerous romances, family fall-outs and dashed hopes which shaped their lives – and served as the inspiration for Austen’s unforgettable portfolio of work.
The plot synopsis for Miss Austen reads: “Cassandra’s re-evaluation of her past eventually leads her to realise how blind she has been to the real cause of Isabella’s heartache and distress.
“Finding a way to guide Isabella to true happiness, Cassandra is finally able to understand and celebrate the sacrifices she chose to make for her brilliant sister, Jane.”
The four-part series has been adapted for the small-screen by the Bafta-winning writer Andrea Gibb, who previously worked on BBC One’s Elizabeth is Missing. It also stars Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan; How to Get Away with Murder star Afred Enoch; Bridgerton's Calam Lynch; and Max Irons, best known for his roles in Condor and The Riot Club.
Filming for the series began last November, to be released at some point in 2025 to mark 250 years since Austen’s birth.
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