Gavin & Stacey icon stars in first look at new Jane Austen-inspired drama The Other Bennet Sister

by

As we approach the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth on December 16th, the BBC has given us a sneak peek at their new period drama, The Other Bennet Sister, with some newly released images.

A new drama series, scheduled to debut in 2026, will center around Mary Bennet, the often-forgotten middle sister from Pride and Prejudice. Ella Bruccoleri, known for her role in Call the Midwife, will play Mary. A recent photo shows her with her sisters, and she definitely looks like the overlooked member of the family.

We’re also getting our first look at Ruth Jones, known for Gavin & Stacey, who will appear alongside Richard E Grant as Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. This role comes shortly after Jones is scheduled to appear in Harlan Coben’s Run Away, adding to a busy and exciting period for the actress, comedian, and writer.

Indira Varma (known from ‘The Night Manager’) and Richard Coyle (‘Heads of State’) play Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, a cheerful couple enjoying themselves in a lovely flower garden. They are Mary’s aunt and uncle and eventually hire her as a governess to their three children, which opens up a new and exciting social circle for her.

Maddie Close will play Jane Bennet, Poppy Gilbert will be Lizzie, Molly Wright will portray Kitty, and Grace Hogg-Robinson will be Lydia. Laurie Davidson and Dónal Finn will play the potential love interests, Mr. Ryder and Mr. Hayward, respectively.

The story of The Other Bennet Sister starts at the Bennet family’s home, Longbourn, with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet raising their five single daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. As expectations rise in Regency England, the sisters try to find their way in a world where marriage is seen as both a dream and a practical need.

Unlike her sisters who focus on finding husbands and social success, Mary chooses a different route. She leaves her family home, Longbourn, to live with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, in their stylish London house on Gracechurch Street. This move allows Mary to begin a personal journey, where she starts to develop her own identity and take control of her life.

Fans of Pride and Prejudice will be excited to see beloved moments from the book, like the Meryton and Netherfield balls, brought to life in the series.

The series is adapted from Janice Hadlow’s popular novel. Hadlow expressed her excitement about seeing Mary Bennet finally take center stage on screen, brought to life by Ella Bruccoleri with great emotion. She also praised the entire cast for their sensitive and compelling performances, which beautifully capture the heart of the story – a narrative Jane Austen never wrote for Mary.

Screenwriter Sarah Quintrell shared that it’s been a delight to reimagine Jane Austen’s world through the perspective of Mary Bennet, and the talented cast has brought a fresh energy to the characters. While the story takes place in the well-known Austen universe, it offers a unique point of view. At its heart, it’s about Mary’s journey to find her place and come into her own as someone who always felt different.

Growing up in Croydon, my life was a world away from Jane Austen’s – but her stories have a timeless quality that connects with everyone, no matter their background. We’re thrilled to introduce the Bennet family to a new generation of readers. ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ stays true to the heart of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ while also offering something fresh and enjoyable for long-time fans and newcomers alike.

The cast also includes Tanya Reynolds (known from The Decameron) as Caroline Bingley, Anna Fenton-Garvey (The Nevers) as Charlotte Lucas, and Ryan Sampson (Mr Bigstuff) as Mr. Collins. Varada Sethu, from Doctor Who, will play Ann Baxter, and Aaron Gill (Smothered) will portray John Sparrow.

Want to see this content?

We can’t display this content because of a security measure from Google reCAPTCHA. To see it, please sign out of your Contentpass account.

Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025.

The Other Bennet Sister is coming soon to BBC One and iPlayer.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing and freelancing, and holds a degree in English Literature.

  • Visit us on Twitter

Read More

2025-12-12 15:05