Sarah Quintrell on His Dark Materials, The Power and The Other Bennet Sister: The Radio Times Writers’ Room

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Welcome back to The TopMob Writers’ Room!

We’re excited to introduce Sarah Quintrell, the writer of the new BBC drama series, The Other Bennet Sister, which is inspired by the works of Jane Austen.

Quintrell began their career as an actor, appearing in popular TV shows like Doctor Who, Lewis, Doctors, and Call the Midwife.

She first appeared as a writer on television in 2016 with the Channel 4 drama, Ellen. The film starred Jessica Barden and Joe Dempsie and told the story of a young woman caught between a friendship and a relationship with an older man.

The film received many awards, and its star, Quintrell, was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award recognizing rising talent. However, the award ultimately went to the film’s director, Mahalia Belo.

I’ve been following Quintrell’s work since her insightful writing on Channel 4’s fascinating docudrama, The Trial: A Murder in the Family. More recently, she penned an episode of His Dark Materials, which, as a fan of Philip Pullman’s novels and Jack Thorne’s adaptation, I found particularly compelling. It’s clear she brings a real talent for both realism and imaginative storytelling to whatever project she tackles.

In 2023, she helped create the sci-fi series The Power for Prime Video. The show, starring Toni Collette and Auli’i Cravalho, is set in a world where women suddenly gain the power to shock people with electricity.

The BBC is now presenting a new 10-episode series based on Janice Hadlow’s novel, The Other Bennet Sister. Similar to the book, the story focuses on Mary Bennet, the less-known sister of Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

As a total cinema fan, I was really excited to see the cast they assembled for this series! Ella Bruccoleri is playing Mary, and it’s fantastic to have Richard E Grant as Mr Bennet. Ruth Jones is perfect casting as Mrs Bennet, and the supporting cast is just as strong – Indira Varma and Richard Coyle as the Gardiners, plus Laurie Davidson as Mr Ryder and Dónal Finn as Mr Hayward. It’s a seriously impressive lineup!

In our conversation, Quintrell discussed being guided by Paul Abbott, the creator of Shameless, and Shane Meadows, who created This Is England. She also explained her journey from acting to becoming a writer.

She also discussed the popular shows she’d have loved to contribute to as a writer, and hinted at the subtle references to Jane Austen hidden within her novel, The Other Bennet Sister.

As a big fan of the show, I loved slipping in little details for those who really pay attention. There’s this one scene where everyone’s on the edge of their seats, expecting a letter from Bingley about Jane, but it turns out to be from Mr. Collins announcing a visit – a little twist just for the dedicated viewers!

As a reviewer, I was really intrigued by the initial scenes hinting at Jane and Bingley’s courtship, particularly Mrs. Bennet’s frantic attempts to secure a match. I remember there being some lovely dialogue around that, especially the bit where Jane gets caught in the rain! But, frustratingly, the director kept cutting those moments. It seemed everything was being trimmed because, ultimately, the focus was solely on Mary’s story, and anything deviating from that just didn’t make the cut.

Ultimately, there’s a moment where Jane sneezes. This connects back to Bingley, and then the scene continues. Even if it’s a small detail, I wanted to include those references for fans who are familiar with the story and enjoy those connections.

Watch the complete video at the beginning of this article, and stay tuned for future visits to The TopMob Writers’ Room!

While you wait, feel free to revisit our past conversations with Mark Gatiss, Harry and Jack Williams, Noah Hawley, Neil Cross, Steven Knight, Chris Chibnall, and Jack Thorne.

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The Other Bennet Sister premieres on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 15 March 2026.

I’m so excited about ‘The Other Bennet Sister’! You can add it to your watchlist right now on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Seriously, download it – they give you daily TV recommendations and all sorts of cool features, so you won’t miss out on anything great.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, an international television production company. He holds a BA in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-03-15 09:35