'The Other Bennet Sister' Creates a New Austen Heroine
The first teaser for 'The Other Bennet Sister' is out, with its most unlikely heroine.
It's a big year for Jane Austen fans. Hot on the heels of the global celebration of the author's 250th birthday, we're slated to receive a new limited series adaptation of Pride & Prejudice on Netflix this autumn, and a new take on Sense & Sensibility heads to theaters by the end of the year. But before either of those things, one of the author's most frequently overlooked characters is finally getting her chance to shine.
The Other Bennet Sister is set to arrive on BritBox this May. Based on Janice Hadlow's novel of the same name, the series aims to finally put the often-forgotten middle Bennet sister at the center of her own story. After all, almost everyone is at least passingly familiar with the story of Lizzie Bennet (even if your only exposure to Pride & Prejudice is TikTok edits of that infamous Matthew Macfadyen hand flex). But the rest of her sisters? Maybe not so much.
There's Jane, of course, whose story is intrinsically tied to Lizzie and Darcy's. And Kitty and Lydia, the chaotic youngest duo who seem to revel in causing problems. But most people have probably forgotten that middle child, Mary, even exists. The Other Bennet Sister aims to change all that.
The story begins, as it must, at Longbourne, amid the bustle of life with five unmarried daughters. But while her sisters pursue romance with gusto — and the famous events of Pride and Prejudice unfold — Mary decides to choose a different path, traveling to London to stay with her aunt and uncle in search of her own identity and purpose. Where, of course, she finds an epic love story of her own along the way, and gives those of us watching at home the chance to see Austen's world through new eyes.
Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife) stars as Mary, with Poppy Gilbert (Sherwood) as Lizzie, Molly Wright (The Long Shadow) as Kitty, Grace Hogg-Robinson (COBRA) as Lydia, and Maddie Close (Sunflower Child) as Jane. Richard E. Grant (Saltburn) and Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey) play Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
Here's the series' synopsis.
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. Iconic settings from Pride and Prejudice, include the Meryton Assembly Ball and the Netherfield Ball, where fortunes and futures are decided under glittering chandeliers.
The ensemble cast also includes Richard Coyle (The Collection), Indira Varma (The Capture), Tanya Reynolds (The Decameron), Dónal Finn (Young Sherlock), Varada Sethu (Doctor Who), and Laurie Davidson (A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story).
Sarah Quintell (The Power) wrote nine of the series' ten half-hour episodes, with Maddie Dai (We Were Dangerous) penning the tenth. Jennifer Sheridan (Extraordinary) and Asim Abbasi (The Famous Five) split helming duties. The series is produced by Bad Wolf, in a co-production with the BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
The Other Bennet Sister will premiere on BritBox on Sunday, May 6, 2026. It has not yet been announced if it will arrive all at once or in a weekly release format.
