Brenda Blethyn lands major new role in eight-part series after quitting Vera
Actress to take the lead in reworking of iconic novel, 40 years after it was Channel 4's biggest ever drama
When Brenda Blethyn quit ITV's Vera after 14 years she insisted she was not retiring - now the actress has signed up to play the 'fierce' lead in A Woman of Substance. Brenda, 79, will take the lead in an eight-part adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford 's iconic novel for Channel 4 alongside Jessica Reynolds, who plays the younger version of main character Emma Harte.
The revenge romp drama previously aired on Channel 4 40 years ago, starring Deborah Kerr, and became the station's biggest ever drama, also winning an Emmy nomination.
Set in 1911, the story follows impoverished but ambitious Yorkshire maid Emma as she embarks on a dizzying journey to become the world 's richest woman. The character is also a daughter, mother, lover and fighter who refused to know her 'place', becoming a 20 th century feminist icon.
On accepting the major new challenge, Brenda said: 'I'm overjoyed to be taking on this iconic role, in the footsteps of the great Deborah Kerr. As a fan of Barbara Taylor-Bradford, it is an unmissable opportunity to play the fierce Emma Harte.'
Filming has kicked off in Yorkshire with the cast also including Emmett J Scanlan, Will Mellor as Adam Fairley, Lydia Leonard as Olivia Wainwright and Leanne Best as Adele Fairley,
The rags-to-riches tale shows Emma defying the lowly expectations that society has thrust upon her, leading her to fearlessly challenge the roles she's given, smashing glass ceilings along the way.
Jessica, whose previous roles include Kneecap & the Wolf and The Fox & The Leopard, said the role was an 'absolute dream' adding: 'The team and cast we have behind this are truly inspiring and I'm so excited to bring the stunning scripts and this great piece of literature to the screen.'
Channel 4 drama commissioning editor Rebecca Holdswoth said the 'exceptional' scripts, from Katherine Takeaways and Roanne Bardsley would produce a 'fresh, sexy and bold adaptation of an iconic book'.
After bowing out as Vera, Brenda told how she wanted to reclaim her summers and said: 'On the last day I felt very emotional. It's her packing up her stuff and backing out of the office and I could have cried to be honest. It's so bittersweet because I've loved every minute of this job.'
The last ever scene of series 14, which aired in January based on Ann Cleeves' 11th novel The Dark Wives, saw Vera walking across a beach with a smile on her face. A Woman of Substance is due to air on Channel 4 next year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Inside Holly Willoughby's future TV plans after she was left without a show for the first time in years - amid the axing of two of her programmes within months of each other
has had to rethink her future TV plans after being left without a show to present for the first time in years, but the star is still highly in demand. It was recently revealed that Holly's Netflix show Celebrity Bear Hunt was axed after just one series, amid claims it was too expensive to make. This blow came just months after her other mainstream programme Dancing On Ice was rested back in March, while she also decided to step down from presenting duties on You Bet! The 44-year-old is now at a crossroads in her career, with the star also coincidentally without an ITV show to host for the first time in over two decades. Having been the darling of TV for several years, Holly is still in huge demand with a plethora of options open to her as she navigates this tricky stage in her career. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. According to The Sun, one option could be the reboot of classic series Record Breakers, which her TV producer husband Dan Baldwin, 50, is currently working on. Source told the production that Holy would be the 'perfect fit' for the show, which at present is in its early stages and currently does not have a channel attached. They explained: 'Record Breakers is likely to be a prime time hit and it would make perfect sense for Holly to take the reins. She has worked alongside Dan before and the pair know what it takes to make great telly.' Meanwhile, Holly has also been linked to the revival of Cilla Black's Blind Date, alongside the likes of Claudia Winkleman and Davina McCall. Originally, rumours suggested the ITV hit would make a comeback on BBC but now sources claim the love-match show will reboot on Disney+. In March, former This Morning host Holly was tipped to become the next Cilla, with the presenter lining up a string of big-money deals worth up to £10million. The revival was previously being considered by Holly's husband Dan Baldwin, and the star had previously stepped into Cilla's shoes when she hosted a reboot of Surprise Surprise. An insider told The Sun at the time: 'There might not sound like obvious parallels between Holly and Cilla, but they're both two of the biggest stars of modern telly. 'Emulating Cilla isn't just about taking on her shows, it's as much about carving out a niche as a solo presenter with serious clout in the world of telly. 'But together with her husband Dan, they form the ultimate power couple in TV. She has the public appeal that gets viewers tuning in, while he has a track record of making hugely successful TV shows.' Elsewhere, it is said that the blonde beauty is also being eyed up for a new Channel 4 show, thought to be called Secret Singers, which hunts for raw and undiscovered singing talent. With it tipped to be a 'hugely popular' family show, the insider noted that show makers are on the lookout for the 'perfect host', with Holly's current TV break being 'perfect timing'. MailOnline have contacted Holly's representatives for comment. Holly recently dashed ITV's hopes that she would be their Saturday night star by turning down a lucrative deal to front game show You Bet!. ITV sources told the Mail she was 'busy with other commitments' after Holly branched out to host Celebrity Bear Hunt in her first big role away from ITV. It is the first time that Holly has not had an ITV show on her schedule for the first time in more than two decades after becoming the broadcaster's TV darling. ITV sources told the Mail she was 'busy with other commitments' after Holly branched out to host Celebrity Bear Hunt in her first big role away from ITV She has long been a familiar face on both ITV and ITV2, hosting on shows including Surprise Surprise, Celebrity Juice, The Games, The Xtra Factor and I'm A Celebrity. Holly is arguably best known for having fronted This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield from 2009 until 2023, while she also helmed Dancing On Ice from 2006. However, ITV viewers now won't be able to get a dose of Holly as there has not yet been any public news of her having signed on to another project with the channel. In a huge blow to ITV, Holly then turned down a lucrative deal to front a new series of the classic game show You Bet! because of her other commitments. A source told the Mail: 'You Bet was so popular with the viewers wished it came back for two shows that ITV bosses decided to give it a full run. 'Holly and Stephen are a great double act and they were both brilliant so they were asked back. 'But Holly politely declined, she has other commitments and couldn't make it work. 'She is in demand and now she isn't shackled to This Morning four days a week, she is able to look at more options, some are global.'
Daily Record
21 minutes ago
- Daily Record
ITV's James Martin makes touching career announcement as he bids viewers farewell 'for now'
James Martin announced he will be taking a break from his ITV show, Saturday Morning. TV chef James Martin has declared he will be taking a break from his hit ITV show, Saturday Morning, as he and his colleagues take time out for summer. The famed cook concluded June 7's show with a touching message. The celebrity chef and TV personality wrapped up the programme by expressing his appreciation, saying: "That's all we have got time for today, a massive thank you to all of my guests". He then showed his gratitude towards his food team, continuing: "My food team, you can sleep better now. Daniel and Sally, and of course, Harry Redknapp and Carly Paoli." James subsequently announced the series finale, adding: "That is also for the series. Me and the crew are heading off on sunny holidays. Different climates." Engaging in banter about holiday plans with the crew, it was revealed one member would be jetting off to Portugal whilst James plans a jaunt to Yorkshire, reports the Mirror. He assured fans that they can expect more gastronomic treats when the show resumes: "Yorkshire for me. But we will be back here with more top chefs, other brilliant guests, and more delicious recipes later on in the year." James signed off by wishing the audience a fabulous summer break. "Until then, thanks for watching," he said. "Have a wonderful, fantastic summer. I'll see you out there wherever you are." He ended the episode with a courteous goodbye: "Thanks for watching, see you again soon, goodbye for now." Earlier on, James had let viewers know that there would be a briefer show due to another event. "Because of the Derby on ITV1 this afternoon, it is a shorter episode than usual today," he noted, before assuring: "But we still have time for one more dish." Whilst enjoying a cooking segment in Italy, James playfully considered settling there after savouring a traditional fish dish prepared by a local chef, much to the entertainment of those watching. "Can I just say if your two sons don't want to do this, you call me," he suggested. Chuckling, James contemplated a tempting thought: "I might retire here. I could be over there, I could be doing this, it is fantastic." It comes after the 52-year-old revealed he's parting with some of his race cars because they're getting harder to get out of the older he gets. "The car collection sort of changes as you get older," he shared with Samuel Goldsmith on the Good Food podcast. "You can't get in the cars that I bought 20 years ago and I can't get out of them. So I've sold quite a few of the race cars and I've gone into sort of old school cars. So stuff that I can get into and get out of." James noted that motor racing is better suited for the svelte: "It comes down to the fact that I race cars, or I still try and race a few cars and I actually struggle to get out of them now. "Getting in them, you kind of fall in them, but then you've got to get out of them and it just doesn't look very good." James' enviable collection, valued at an estimated £5million, includes vehicles with significant historical value. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
How to watch The 1% Club for Soccer Aid celebrity special
Comedian Lee Mack returns to present the show but this time he'll be joined by 100 celebrities and sports stars. They will be put to the test in the quiz where 'the questions have nothing to do with remembering facts, but are all about logic and common sense', explains the Radio Times. The aim will be to make it to the end, answering the 1% question correctly to take home up to £100,000 for charity. How does The 1% Club work? ITV said: 'Find out how clever you are as Lee Mack presents the quiz where it doesn't matter how good you are at quizzes and where 100 contestants could win up to 100,000 pounds.' As pointed out by the Radio Times, the show isn't about knowing facts, it's about using your brain to answer the questions. Each player gets one pass which they can use to help them skip a question but once they have used it, an incorrect answer takes them out of the game. If they make it to the 1% question, they will be asked to go down to the stage for the final question where they'll see if they are winners. Who will be on The 1% Club for Soccer Aid? While a full lineup hasn't been revealed by ITV, some promotions for the show have seen a few famous faces preparing for their stint. Among those famous faces are comedian Paddy McGuinness, rapper Aitch and Love Island narrator Iain Stirling. Brother and sister presenting duo Scarlette and Stuart Douglas will go up against each other in the quiz with Stuart saying he hopes to do better than his sister. Tonight's show will see 100 celebrities and sports stars try their luck at The 1% Club (Image: Magnum TV/ITV) Sports stars Greg Rutherford, Jill Scott, Tony Bellew and Chris Kamara are also in the audience, hoping to score some big money for charity. Recommended reading: How to watch The 1% Club for Soccer Aid To see the full celebrity lineup and test your skills, here's how you can tune into all the action tonight. The 1% Club for Soccer Aid will be available to watch on ITV1 and ITVX from 8.20pm. You can catch up with all episodes of The 1% Club on ITVX.
