Miss Austen's future is finally confirmed and The Other Bennet Sister unveils first-look clip on Jane Austen's birthday

There are treats aplenty in store for Jane Austen fans today as a first-look clip for The Other Bennet Sister has now been unveiled and we also now know the exciting fate of Miss Austen, which aired earlier this year.

Keeley Hawes led the cast of the latter as Jane Austen's sister Cassandra and it's now been confirmed (via Deadline) that PBS are working away to develop a second season of the period drama.

The series took us back in time to find out more about the revered novelist, her family, and most importantly, the bond she shared with her sister Cassandra.

Their sisterhood is at the heart of the tale as we uncover the reimagined history around just why Cassandra chose to burn her sister's letters, something that has been widely speculated on for some time.

At the time of the release of Miss Austen, Hawes told RadioTimes.com and other press at a screening for the series: "I think people will love it, because for anyone who is not aware of this backstory, it’s almost like we are getting a new Jane Austen story in itself, and what a lovely surprise that is."

The series itself was based on Gill Hornby’s novel of the same name, with it being reported that season 2 will be "largely based" on Hornby’s latest novel The Elopement. The book in question is set in 1820 and focuses on the life of Mary Dorothea Knatchbull, the daughter of Jane Austen’s niece, Fanny Knight.

Andrea Gibb is also set to pen the second season, having written the first but as for casting, that remains to be seen. Seeing as the new season will focus on a different character, we don't know just yet whether or not Hawes will be heading up the drama again.

Producer for Masterpiece, Susanne Simpson, said on the announcement of the development of season 2: “After the success of Miss Austen, I am thrilled to be working again with the incredible author Gill Hornby, and the impressive team of Andrea Gibb and Christine Langan, who created the first series that was such a moving experience and a joy to watch. I am pleased to be able to announce the return of the series just as we are about to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth."

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Similarly, producer Christine Langan also added: “Fuelled by another wonderful Gill Hornby novel, the journey of Miss Austen continues, going deeper into the intimate life of the Austen family. Love, loss and laughter mingle irresistibly in this fresh take on Jane Austen’s world brought to life by a dazzling array of characters both familiar and brand new.”

As for something in the nearer future to look ahead to, The Other Bennet Sister is set to land on our screens in the new year, focusing on the "oft-overlooked middle sister in Pride and Prejudice", Mary Bennet.

Well now, we have a first-look teaser at the series and it reveals that the Bennet's have gotten themselves all worked up over the prospect of Mary needing to wear glasses. The clip gives us our first glimpse of the main cast in action, headed up by Call the Midwife's Ella Bruccoleri and also featuring Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones and Richard E Grant as Mrs and Mr Bennet.

You can watch the clip for yourself below:

The other Bennet sisters are played by Maddie Close (Sunflower Child) as Jane, Poppy Gilbert (Chloe) as Lizzie, Molly Wright (The A Word) as Kitty and Grace Hogg-Robinson (The Coroner) as Lydia.

The synopsis for The Other Bennet Sister reads: "The story begins at Longbourn, the Bennet family home, where Mr and Mrs Bennet preside over a lively household of five unmarried daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. As society’s pressures mount, the Bennet sisters navigate the glittering yet precarious world of Regency England, where marriage is both aspiration and necessity.

"While her sisters pursue romance and social triumph, Mary embarks on a very different path. Leaving Longbourn behind, she travels to London to live with her aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs Gardiner, in their elegant home on Gracechurch Street. There, Mary begins a journey of self-discovery, stepping out of the shadows and into her own story."

Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025.

The Other Bennet Sister is coming soon to BBC One and iPlayer and Miss Austen is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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