Latest news with #AWomanofSubstance
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Brenda Blethyn unrecognisable as she takes on 'iconic role' in Channel 4 reboot
Brenda Blethyn unrecognisable as she takes on 'iconic role' in Channel 4 reboot Brenda Blethyn has been spotted looking completely different to her Vera character as she takes on a new role in the reboot of A Woman of Substance. Brenda Blethyn is set to surprise fans of Vera as she embarks on a fresh endeavour, taking on a new character that's a stark contrast to her familiar ITV role. At 79-years-old, Brenda is stepping into the shoes of Emma Harte in the revamped version of the 1984 Emmy-nominated drama A Woman of Substance, which will broadcast on Channel 4. The series, adapted from the 1979 novel by the same title, charts the extraordinary journey of Emma Harte, a Yorkshire maid who becomes a powerful businesswoman and establishes a thriving department store empire. Captured on set in photos released by Digital Spy, the esteemed actress appears almost unrecognisable sporting white hair arranged in a vintage 70s style. Clad in a cream coat, Brenda was photographed wearing a silk scarf and rain bonnet, complete with circular sunglasses and a red work bag emblazoned with the initials EH, reports Devon Live. Brenda Blethyn unrecognisable as she takes on 'iconic role' in Channel 4 reboot (Image: Dave) Article continues below In this reimagined adaptation, Brenda takes on the lead role, while Jessica Reynolds portrays the younger Emma Harte. The original series featured Deborah Kerr and Jenny Seagrove in these roles back in 1984. The show's synopsis describes the plot as follows: "Emma Harte, an impoverished ambitious maid in Yorkshire, England goes on a dizzying journey to become the world's richest woman, gazing down from a sprawling luxury New York penthouse. A rags-to-riches tale of women through the 20th century, Emma defies the expectations of her society, fearlessly challenging the roles she's given, smashing glass ceilings, and never, ever deviating from her masterplan: Get to the top. Whatever it takes." The actress has ditched the raincoat and detective hat (Image: ITV ) Brenda expressed her delight at stepping into the role, saying: "I'm overjoyed to be taking on this iconic role in the footsteps of the great Deborah Kerr. As a fan of [author] Barbara Taylor Bradford, it is an unmissable opportunity to play the fierce Emma Harte." Jessica shared her enthusiasm as well, remarking: "To be a part of A Woman of Substance and to step into the shoes of Emma is an absolute dream for me." She continued, highlighting the team's talent: "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." A Woman of Substance is currently in production (Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage ) The Channel 4 series will also feature actors Emmett J Scanlan, Lydia Leonard, Sophie Bould, Leanne Best, and Will Mellor. Rebecca Holdsworth, Channel 4's commissioning editor for drama, praised the project, stating: "Attracting an ensemble cast of this quality is testament to Katherine and Roanne's exceptional scripts." Article continues below She further added: "We are so excited to be bringing this fresh, sexy and bold adaptation of an iconic book to Channel 4." The broadcast date for A Woman of Substance on Channel 4 has yet to be announced.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Vera's Brenda Blethyn transforms for new role as she leaves iconic look behind
Vera star Brenda Blethyn is set to appear in a brand new TV series - and she looks a world away from the ITV character in the first look at the show. Brenda Blethyn is almost unrecognisable in her new role, a stark contrast to her familiar appearance on ITV's Vera. The 79-year-old actress is set to star in the reboot of the 1984 Emmy-nominated series, A Woman of Substance, which will be broadcast on Channel 4. The series, based on the 1979 novel of the same name, chronicles the life of Emma Harte, a Yorkshire housemaid who rises to become a successful department store tycoon. Photos obtained by Digital Spy show the beloved actress filming for the show, sporting white hair styled in a 70s-inspired updo. Dressed in a cream coat, Brenda is seen accessorising with a silk scarf, a rain bonnet, round sunglasses and a red work bag bearing the initials E H , reports Devon Live. In this reimagined series, Brenda takes on the lead role, with Jessica Reynolds portraying a younger Emma Harte. The original series saw Deborah Kerr and Jenny Seagrove in the starring roles. The series synopsis reads: "Emma Harte, an impoverished ambitious maid in Yorkshire, England goes on a dizzying journey to become the world's richest woman, gazing down from a sprawling luxury New York penthouse. A rags-to-riches tale of women through the 20th century, Emma defies the expectations of her society, fearlessly challenging the roles she's given, smashing glass ceilings, and never, ever deviating from her masterplan: Get to the top. Whatever it takes." Brenda expressed her delight about joining the project, commenting: "I'm overjoyed to be taking on this iconic role in the footsteps of the great Deborah Kerr. As a fan of [author] Barbara Taylor Bradford, it is an unmissable opportunity to play the fierce Emma Harte." Jessica echoed the sentiment, adding: "To be a part of A Woman of Substance and to step into the shoes of Emma is an absolute dream for me. "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." They will be joined by a star-studded lineup that includes Emmett J Scanlan, Lydia Leonard, Sophie Bould, Leanne Best and Will Mellor. Channel 4's drama commissioning editor, Rebecca Holdsworth, praised the casting, saying: "Attracting an ensemble cast of this quality is testament to Katherine and Roanne's exceptional scripts." She added that Channel 4 is thrilled: "We are so excited to be bringing this fresh, sexy and bold adaptation of an iconic book to Channel 4." Details regarding the air date for A Woman of Substance remain under wraps.
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
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.
RTÉ News
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Kneecap star Jessica Reynolds becomes A Woman of Substance
Kneecap star Jessica Reynolds is joining Brenda Blethyn and Emmet J Scanlan in Channel 4's reboot of the Barbara Taylor Bradford bestseller A Woman of Substance. Channel 4 has announced that filming on the eight-part series has begun in Yorkshire with "Brenda Blethyn (Vera, Pride and Prejudice) as Emma Harte and Jessica Reynolds (Kneecap, The Wolf, the Fox, and the Leopard) as the younger version of the iconic character, a housemaid-turned-mogul, daughter, mother, lover, fighter, and a 20th-century feminist icon who refused to know her 'place'". The synopsis for A Woman of Substance reads: "1911. Emma Harte, an impoverished, ambitious maid in Yorkshire, England goes on a dizzying journey to become the world's richest woman, gazing down from a sprawling luxury New York penthouse. "A rags-to-riches tale of women through the 20th century, Emma defies the expectations of her society, fearlessly challenging the roles she's given, smashing glass ceilings, and never, ever deviating from her masterplan: Get to the top. Whatever it takes." Channel 4 previously made the book into a miniseries starring Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr in the role of Emma Harte - with Liam Neeson in one of his early screen roles as Emma's friend and confidant Blackie O'Neill. The miniseries was produced in 1984 and aired in January 1985. "Previously Emmy-nominated and Channel 4's biggest ever drama when it was made 40 years ago, this new revenge romp is a re-imagining of the multi-million bestselling novel and global phenomenon written by Barbara Taylor Bradford, which feels just as searingly relevant today as it did back then," Channel 4 continued. The new series is written by Katherine Jakeways (The Buccaneers) and co-written by Roanne Bardsley (The Buccaneers, Screw). John Hardwick (The Buccaneers, One Day, The A Word) will direct the first block of episodes. Jessica Reynolds said: "To be a part of A Woman of Substance and to step into the shoes of Emma is an absolute dream for me. 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." Co-star Brenda Blethyn 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."
Scottish Sun
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Brenda Blethyn lands first major role since Vera ended – and it's world's away from iconic TV detective
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRENDA Blethyn has wasted no time swapping police badges for something completely different - bagging her first major role since quitting Vera. The beloved actress, 78, is set to star in a brand new project that's a world away from her days solving crimes as DCI Stanhope. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Double Oscar-nominee Brenda Blethyn will play the older Emma Harte in the rebooted A Woman of Substance Credit: Getty 5 It's her first major role since quitting Vera Credit: ITV Channel 4 has signed up a Hollywood legend and a rising star for its glitzy new remake of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman Of Substance. The Woman Of Substance charts the jaw-dropping rise of a poor Yorkshire maid who claws her way to the top - ending up the richest woman on the planet, ruling her empire from a swanky New York penthouse. The rags-to-riches saga is being rebooted 40 years after Channel 4's first version - which starred Jenny Seagrove and still holds the crown as the channel's most-watched drama ever. The brains behind Apple TV hit The Buccaneers, Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Bardsley, are on script duty for the new series. The glitzy remake is being produced by Banijay-backed The Forge, with former Channel 4 drama chief Beth Willis serving as executive producer. Brenda Blethyn - a double Oscar nominee and TV favourite thanks to Vera - is leading the charge. 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.' While rising star Jessica Reynolds, fresh from a breakout role in indie smash Kneecap and Outlander Season 6, will play the younger Emma. The original three-part saga starred Liam Neeson with Jenny Seagrove as Emma Harte. Vera's Brenda Blethyn confirms she's already landed her next role after quitting ITV drama Its finale pulled in Channel 4's highest audience of 13.8 million viewers and received two Emmy nominations. A Woman of Substance has sold an incredible 30 million copies since its release four decades ago. Barbara Taylor Bradford died at the age of 91. She passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday 24 November following a brief illness. Crime dramas on ITVX Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX - here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge. Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood. Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood. The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother's grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake's novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James. This series follows a mother's grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake's novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James. Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth. Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth. The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby. This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby. Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant. Charlie Redmayne, CEO of HarperCollins Publishers UK, said: 'Barbara Taylor Bradford was a truly exceptional writer whose first book, the international bestseller A Woman of Substance changed the lives of so many who read it - and still does to this day. "She was a natural storyteller, deeply proud of her Yorkshire roots - she would regale us of her time working on the Yorkshire Evening Post with fellow reporter Keith Waterhouse and trainee photographer Peter O'Toole, the dawn of the Soho café society, and the many happy years shared with the love of her life, her husband, Bob. "For 45 years, she was a huge part of our company and a great, great friend - we will miss her so much - but there is some solace in the knowledge that she is now, once again, alongside her beloved Bob. A life well-lived.' 5 Rising star Jessica Reynolds will play the younger version of the iconic character. Credit: Getty 5 Brenda said: 'I'm overjoyed to be taking on this iconic role" Credit: Getty
