The BBC has shared a new look at The Other Bennet Sister Christmas specials, with Ruth Jones, Ella Bruccoleri, Dónal Finn and several returning cast members back for the three-part festive story. The new episodes will continue Mary Bennet’s story following the events of the first series, with Ella Bruccoleri returning as Mary alongside Dónal Finn as Tom Hayward. The series finale saw Mary agree to marry Tom, and the Christmas specials will pick up with the pair now newly married.
According to the BBC, Mary’s new life as Mrs Hayward will bring another question with it: who does she want to become now that she is married? That new chapter is soon interrupted when someone from her past arrives at her door needing help.
The newly released images also give us another look at Ruth Jones as Mrs Bennet, with the Gavin & Stacey star returning alongside Tanya Reynolds as Caroline Bingley and Laurie Davidson as Mr Ryder.
Poppy Gilbert is also back as Lizzie Darcy, Maddie Close returns as Jane Bingley, Grace Hogg-Robinson as Lydia Wickham and Molly Wright as Kitty Buncock. Nerys Amber Stocks joins the cast for the specials as Lucy, the Haywards’ housekeeper.
Sarah Quintrell has returned to write all three episodes, based on storylines by author Janice Hadlow, with Asim Abbasi back to direct. The first series of The Other Bennet Sister, based on Hadlow’s novel, followed Mary Bennet as she stepped out from the shadow of her sisters and tried to work out what she wanted from life in Regency England. The drama became a huge success for the BBC, with episode one eventually reaching 9.5 million viewers.
For CultureCues, we are so happy to be heading back to Mary’s story this Christmas. Ella Bruccoleri and Dónal Finn were such a lovely pairing in the first series, so seeing Mary and Tom now married has us really excited to find out what comes next for them. With Ruth Jones back as Mrs Bennet, Tanya Reynolds returning as Caroline Bingley and the rest of the cast joining them again, this already feels like a Christmas TV treat.
The Other Bennet Sister returns with three Christmas specials on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.