A month after releasing its trailer, Channel 4 is launching the reboot of Barbara Taylor Bradford's classic novel A Woman of Substance, promising more romance and sex than Bridgerton and Rivals. The eight-part drama stars Brenda Blethyn as the older Emma Harte and Jessica Reynolds as her younger self. It premieres on March 10, 2026, at 9pm, with the full series available online immediately after.
Building on the trailer unveiled last month—which showcased Emma Harte's determination and drew fan excitement—the new adaptation of the 1979 novel revisits the rags-to-riches story of a servant girl who becomes the world's richest woman, amid sex, scheming, and revenge. The original 1985 Channel 4 miniseries remains the network's most-watched program.
The series opens at the turn of the 20th century in a Yorkshire stately home, with young Emma (Jessica Reynolds, Derry Girls) uncovering family secrets like infidelities and mental health issues while romancing Edwin Fairley. Spanning 60 years to 1970s New York, elderly Emma (Brenda Blethyn, Vera) battles corporate sabotage with ally Jim Fairley.
Showrunner Katherine Jakeways promises 'epic romance, passion and excitement' and 'old-fashioned joy of the big themes,' teasing episode two's 'more romance, more sex, more betrayal.' The production respects original fans with a modern sensibility.
Blethyn, 80, skipped the 1985 version starring Deborah Kerr to avoid imitation, relating through her mother's skivvy background. Reynolds also avoided finishing the original.
The reboot taps into Bridgerton and Rivals' popularity. Barbara Taylor Bradford, who died in 2024 aged 91, wrote eight Emma Harte books, including adapted sequel Hold the Dream. The series ends April 2026 as Rivals season 2 starts on Disney+.
