Hit BBC period drama will return to screens as new series confirmed

BBC's popular period drama is set to make a comeback, with confirmation that a sequel series is in the pipeline.

Miss Austen, which debuted on BBC One and iPlayer earlier this year, was a hit among telly enthusiasts. The four-part series, an adaptation of Gill Hornby's novel of the same name, captivated audiences.

It has now been announced that a second series, based on Gill's newly released sequel novel The Elopement, is currently under development and will be titled Miss Austen Returns.

Christine Langan from Bonnie Productions, the firm behind the series, has shared insights about the upcoming series, revealing that Miss Austen writer Andrea Gibb is busy crafting scripts.

The anticipated Miss Austen Returns is expected to be a joint venture with Masterpiece, in collaboration with Federation Stories and the BBC, reports Surrey Live.

While the cast remains unconfirmed, the original Miss Austen featured Keeley Hawes in the lead role of Cassandra, with Synnove Karlsen portraying the younger version of the character.

The cast also included Patsy Ferran, Rose Leslie, Mirren Mack and Jessica Hynes.

Hinting at what lies ahead, Christine told Deadline that Gill's second novel offered the "potential" for Cassandra to return to our screens.

"The Elopement is drawn from very rich family history; the Austens were very fertile, there's a lot of them. This is a well-researched true story that happens later on [from Miss Austen], around the 1820s, and to a wing of the family that involves Cassandra," she disclosed.

Christine gushed about her adoration for the literary classics, saying: "I loved Gill's novel and I love Jane Austen. The themes spoke to me very clearly and I found it really funny and moving."

She went on to share: "I was lucky enough to be in conversation with Susanne Simpson at Masterpiece. She read it quickly and came back and absolutely wanted in."

With high hopes for the sequel, Miss Austen Returns is expected to captivate audiences just as much as its predecessor did.

The inaugural series received glowing critiques, notably one from The Guardian which stated: "Everything about Miss Austen is masterly, from the individual performances to the interweaving of narrative strands past and present."

The full series of Miss Austen is available to watch on BBC iPlayer