A Woman of Substance

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Season 1
8 episodes

Drama
Romance

Summary

From servant's quarters to business empire, Emma Harte's indomitable spirit propels her rise from poverty to riches, yearning for one unattainable love.

Episode 1: Episode 1

Summary

Brenda Blethyn and Jessica Reynolds star in this drama based on the bestseller by Barbara Taylor Bradford, charting a woman's rise from maid to businesswoman. In early 1900s Yorkshire, ambitious maid Emma Harte dreams of escaping Fairley Hall for a better life, but is caught up in a forbidden romance with Edwin Fairley, son of the master of the house. In 1970s New York, the world's richest woman is warned that a plot is brewing to take away the empire she has worked so hard to build. With Ewan Horrocks, Will Mellor, Leanne Best and Lydia Leonard

Review

Jane Rackham

Poverty, passion, power: Barbara Taylor Bradford’s rags-to-riches saga has it all. Her novel was a major success when it was first published in 1979 and a 1980s TV adaptation starring Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr drew more than 13 million viewers.

In this new version, Jessica Reynolds plays Emma Harte, a lowly but resourceful kitchen maid working at the Fairley family’s grand Yorkshire mansion in the early 1900s. Meanwhile, in 1970s New York, the magnificent Brenda Blethyn plays an older version of the same character, who is now fabulously wealthy after building a global business empire and is hellbent on revenge against those who wronged her.

Tonight’s opening episode focuses on the relentless hardship, cruelty and misery that young Emma endures. No wonder she’s taken in by the sweet words of Edwin Fairley (Ewan Horrocks), who tells her, “We are the same,” while we at home indignantly scream “No, you’re not!” at the screen.

Among the familiar faces in this enjoyable adaptation are Will Mellor, Emmett J Scanlan, Lenny Rush and Leanne Best. There’s more tomorrow at the same time.

How to watch

Next showing

There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming providers below.

Streaming

❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

Details

Released on

2026-03-11

Languages

Formats

Colour

Credits

Cast

rolenameYoung Emma HarteJessica ReynoldsAdam FairleyEmmett J ScanlanOlivia WainwrightLydia LeonardAdele FairleyLeanne BestEmma HarteBrenda BlethynGerald FairleyHarry CadbyEdwin FairleyEwan HorrocksPaula AmoryMara HufJack HarteWill MellorPriya ChandraHiftu QuasemJiim FairleyToby RegboFrankie HarteLenny RushMac O'NeillNiall WrightBernieVaughn JosephJerry SloaneTyrone HuntleyMurgatroydRobert WilfortPollyGeorgina SadlerElizabeth HarteSophie BouldSir Vikram ChandraSagar Arya

Crew

rolenameWriterKatherine JakewaysExecutive producerKatherine JakewaysDirectorJohn HardwickProducerCharlie PalmerExecutive producerBeth WillisExecutive producerJoe InnesExecutive producerGeorge Faber

All episodes

Episode 8

Episode 8

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Episode 7

Episode 7

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Episode 6

Episode 6

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Episode 5

Episode 5

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Episode 4

Episode 4

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Episode 3

Episode 3

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Episode 2

Episode 2

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Episode 1

Episode 1

Summary

Brenda Blethyn and Jessica Reynolds star in this drama based on the bestseller by Barbara Taylor Bradford, charting a woman's rise from maid to businesswoman. In early 1900s Yorkshire, ambitious maid Emma Harte dreams of escaping Fairley Hall for a better life, but is caught up in a forbidden romance with Edwin Fairley, son of the master of the house. In 1970s New York, the world's richest woman is warned that a plot is brewing to take away the empire she has worked so hard to build. With Ewan Horrocks, Will Mellor, Leanne Best and Lydia Leonard

Review

Jane Rackham

Poverty, passion, power: Barbara Taylor Bradford’s rags-to-riches saga has it all. Her novel was a major success when it was first published in 1979 and a 1980s TV adaptation starring Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr drew more than 13 million viewers.

In this new version, Jessica Reynolds plays Emma Harte, a lowly but resourceful kitchen maid working at the Fairley family’s grand Yorkshire mansion in the early 1900s. Meanwhile, in 1970s New York, the magnificent Brenda Blethyn plays an older version of the same character, who is now fabulously wealthy after building a global business empire and is hellbent on revenge against those who wronged her.

Tonight’s opening episode focuses on the relentless hardship, cruelty and misery that young Emma endures. No wonder she’s taken in by the sweet words of Edwin Fairley (Ewan Horrocks), who tells her, “We are the same,” while we at home indignantly scream “No, you’re not!” at the screen.

Among the familiar faces in this enjoyable adaptation are Will Mellor, Emmett J Scanlan, Lenny Rush and Leanne Best. There’s more tomorrow at the same time.

How to watch

Next showing

There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming providers below.

Streaming
- Channel 4
- Sky Store
❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

Details

Released on

2026-03-11

Languages

Formats

Colour

Credits

Cast

rolenameYoung Emma HarteJessica ReynoldsAdam FairleyEmmett J ScanlanOlivia WainwrightLydia LeonardAdele FairleyLeanne BestEmma HarteBrenda BlethynGerald FairleyHarry CadbyEdwin FairleyEwan HorrocksPaula AmoryMara HufJack HarteWill MellorPriya ChandraHiftu QuasemJiim FairleyToby RegboFrankie HarteLenny RushMac O'NeillNiall WrightBernieVaughn JosephJerry SloaneTyrone HuntleyMurgatroydRobert WilfortPollyGeorgina SadlerElizabeth HarteSophie BouldSir Vikram ChandraSagar Arya

Show more

Crew

rolenameWriterKatherine JakewaysExecutive producerKatherine JakewaysDirectorJohn HardwickProducerCharlie PalmerExecutive producerBeth WillisExecutive producerJoe InnesExecutive producerGeorge Faber

Show more