Miss Austen, which tells the story of the family life of Jane and Cassandra Austen, is eyeing a return.
Masterpiece PBS is developing a second season of the series, which stars Keeley Hawes.
The first season, which premiered in May, was based on Gill Hornby’s eponymous novel and ran for four episodes. The second season is largely based on Hornby’s latest novel The Elopement, which is set in 1820 and focuses on the life of Mary Dorothea Knatchbull, the daughter of Jane Austen’s niece, Fanny Knight.
Hawes played Cassandra and the cast also includes Rose Leslie, Jessica Hynes, Max Irons, Alfred Enoch, Patsy Ferran, Phyllis Logan, Calam Lynch, Mirren Mack and Kevin McNally.
It was written by Andrea Gibb, who will write the second season.
The series is produced by Bonnie Productions and Federation Stories with exec producers including Christine Langan, Polly Williams and Masterpiece’s Susanne Simpson. It is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.
“After the success of Miss Austen, I am thrilled to be working again with the incredible author Gill Hornby, and the impressive team of Andrea Gibb and Christine Langan, who created the first series that was such a moving experience and a joy to watch. I am pleased to be able to announce the return of the series just as we are about to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth,” said Simpson.
Langan added, “Fueled by another wonderful Gill Hornby novel, the journey of Miss Austen continues, going deeper into the intimate life of the Austen family. Love, loss and laughter mingle irresistibly in this fresh take on Jane Austen’s world brought to life by a dazzling array of characters both familiar and brand new.”
