Vera icon Brenda Blethyn on how personal connection to A Woman of Substance inspired her to take role

With Brenda Blethyn being best known for her starring role in Vera for 14 years, she's now heading up an entirely different series as a fashionable and cut-throat entrepreneur in A Woman of Substance.

The new Channel 4 drama is based on Barbara Taylor Bradford’s 1979 novel of the same name and marks the second time that the story has been brought to life for the small screen.

The series charts the life and journey of young Emma Harte (played by Jessica Reynolds), who works tirelessly as a penniless maid to make ends meet for her family.

Falling in love with one of the masters of the grand house in which she works, things backfire in a major way for her as she's cast out once he learns she's pregnant.

On her own and trying to forge a new path of her own, Emma is determined to make a life for herself – but is also intent on exacting revenge on the Fairley family. And it turns out that the story is one that has personal relevance to Blethyn.

Speaking at a screening of the series, the actress remarked: “My mum, actually – she wasn't abused, but she started life as a skivvy in a big house down in Kent and it’s where she met my dad actually, he was a chauffeur. But this was way back at the same time. She used to tell me loads of stories about how hard the work was and for very little pay. She would work about three or four jobs a day to make ends meet.”

When asked if that was a special reason for Blethyn to want to take on the role, she said: “Yeah, yeah absolutely.”

Read more:

• Brenda Blethyn compares herself to A Woman of Substance character: "I’m devoid of ambition"
• All Creatures Great and Small favourite confirmed for "spectacular" new animal-focused show

Similarly, when asked about what appealed to her about A Woman of Substance in a press pack for the series, Blethyn also said: "I hadn’t seen the original series, but I had heard of it of course – I can't remember if I'd read the book or not, but I knew the story.

'It reminded me of my mum, who started out in service in a big, posh house, where she met my dad. He was the chauffeur. I'm the youngest of nine children, so when I was born my mum was in her 40s, and dad was in his 50s."

She added: "I was always fascinated by their early years, and I knew that A Woman of Substance was about that world. My mum was a wonderful woman and I used to love listening to her stories of what life was like in those days. She was a kitchen maid, who worked her way up to become lady's maid, as Emma does, and she would tell me about brushing the lady’s hair."

A Woman of Substance will premiere on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 March at 9pm on Channel 4.

Add A Woman of Substance to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.