Red Planet Pictures announce exciting new cast for fan favourite drama series Sanditon

It’s a joy to be returning to the sunshiny shores of Sanditon in the company of such an incredible cast--including some very exciting new faces."

Cameras are now rolling on the second season of the Red Planet Pictures and MASTERPIECE drama Sanditon, for MASTERPIECE PBS, BritBox UK and ITV, as a wave of new inhabitants join heroine Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) for her return to the picturesque coastal resort.

Sanditon, the acclaimed drama based on Jane Austen’s final, unfinished novel and developed by Emmy®- and BAFTA-winning writer Andrew Davies, left fans in suspense and clamouring for more with the first season’s heart-breaking finale. The new series will pick up the action nine months later, as the town is growing in popularity, and will feature characters familiar and new.

Charlotte returns to the beautiful seaside resort and soon attracts the attention of not one, but two new men. And, in her last summer season before turning 21, Georgiana Lambe (Crystal Clarke), keen to forge her own identity, gets up to mischief in the name of love…but will she run the risk of being lonelier than ever before?

The Parkers are back, as Tom (Marshall) strives to rebuild Sanditon. But there are many unforeseen issues awaiting him, while the secrets and lies of the dysfunctional Denhams continue to rock the foundations of the sunny seaside town.

The Army arrives to make Sanditon their new base and with them bring potential new romances, friendships and challenges for the residents.

New characters this season include Alexander Colbourne (Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Industry), a mysterious resident with a complex family history, who is in stark contrast to self-assured war hero Colonel Francis Lennox (Tom Weston-Jones, Grace), his rival for Charlotte’s affections.

We also meet Charlotte’s spirited younger sister, Alison Heywood (Rosie Graham, Outlander), who comes to Sanditon to pursue her own romantic dream. Alison is soon acquainted with the handsome and charming Captain William Carter (Maxim Ays, Still So Awkward). Other intriguing newcomers include Captain Declan Fraser (Frank Blake, Normal People), a courageous character (if a little rough around the edges), and the striking and flamboyant Charles Lockhart (Alexander Vlahos, Versailles), a Byronic artist who arrives to paint portraits of Sanditon’s fashionable and wealthy residents.

Belinda Campbell, executive producer and joint Managing Director of Red Planet Pictures, says, “It’s a joy to be returning to the sunshiny shores of Sanditon in the company of such an incredible cast--including some very exciting new faces. Writer/Executive Producer Justin Young has plenty of fabulous adventures in store for all our characters. I can’t wait to see them come to life on screen.”

“Fans who are craving romance and escape will find them in abundance in the new season of Sanditon, with its intriguing characters and captivating storylines,” says MASTERPIECE Executive Producer Susanne Simpson. “Our partners at Red Planet Pictures have done a brilliant job capturing the magic that won viewers’ hearts in Season One.” MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.

Sanditon has been renewed for Seasons Two and Three following its successful run in the US on MASTERPIECE on PBS. BritBox UK has boarded the show as a co-producer and will premiere the series as a BritBox Original in the UK. The two new seasons of Sanditon have been acquired by ITV, which originally launched the first series in 2019, and will air on the channel following the premiere window on BritBox UK. Justin Young (Death in Paradise, Ripper Street), who wrote four episodes of the first season of Sanditon, has developed the new series and takes the role of lead writer and executive producer. Davies, who originally created the drama, also returns to write and executive produce. Colin Bytheway, Janice Okoh, Ellen Taylor and Robin French also write for the series.

BBC Studios are the international distributors of all three series; and have sold series one of Sanditon to176 countries across the globe since its 2019 UK premiere on ITV. PBS Distribution is the distributor of all three seasons in the US and Canada. The series producer is Rebecca Hedderly (Casualty), the producers are Ian Hogan (Black Mirror) and Amy Rodriguez (Harlots) and lead director is Charles Sturridge (Marcella), with Ethosheia Hylton (Ackley Bridge) directing episodes 4,5 and 6. Executive producers are Belinda Campbell and Tim Key for Red Planet Pictures, Susanne Simpson for MASTERPIECE and Chloe Tucker for ITV/BritBox UK.

 

*ENDS*

 

For more information please contact: sanditon@premiercomms.com

 

 

About Red Planet Pictures

Red Planet Pictures creates ambitious and engaging drama. Run by Joint Managing Directors, Belinda Campbell and Alex Jones, Red Planet Pictures is an independent production company which has built a reputation for making dramas with high-quality storytelling which are loved by audiences across the globe.

Red Planet Pictures has produced some of the UK’s most successful dramas of recent years, including BBC One ratings hit Death in Paradise—which this year celebrated a decade on screen with the broadcast of the tenth series (at the start of 2021 regularly gaining weekly audiences of over 8 million and over 33% share) and two further series commissioned and - SANDITON, an epic adaptation of the unfinished Jane Austen novel by Emmy and BAFTA-Award winning writer Andrew Davies for ITV and MASTERPIECE, which has been renewed for two further series by MASTERPIECE and BritBox UK, and films across the summer.

The indie, which was founded by award-winning showrunner and Executive Chairman Tony Jordan in 2006, also produced the innovative, ambitious and critically acclaimed 20-part drama Dickensian and flagship World War I drama The Passing Bells for BBC One as well as the big-budget action adventure series Hooten & The Lady for Sky One. In June 2021, multinational content creator and producer Asacha Media Group acquired a controlling stake in Red Planet Pictures, in a deal that will further the ambitions of both companies to produce high-end, popular drama that resonates on a global stage.

This year sees Red Planet Pictures broaden their slate still further with the devastating thriller

Our House, based on the award-winning, best-selling novel by Louise Candlish and adapted by Simon Ashdown for ITV, currently in production.

For more information, visit: redplanetpictures.co.uk

About MASTERPIECE

Winner of 83 Primetime Emmys® and 18 Peabody Awards, MASTERPIECE has been essential Sunday-night viewing for millions of fans since 1971. Susanne Simpson is the executive producer and Rebecca Eaton is the executive producer-at-large for the series. Funding for MASTERPIECE is provided by Viking and Raymond James with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust. Produced for PBS by GBH Boston, MASTERPIECE is known for hits such as All Creatures Great and Small, Sherlock, Downton Abbey and Victoria, and for beloved classics such as Upstairs Downstairs, Prime Suspect, The Forsyte Saga and Poldark.

About BritBox UK

BritBox is a digital video subscription service created by the BBC and ITV. The service brings the very best in past, present and future British programming and award-winning content to viewers all in one place for £5.99 per month in HD. British TV boxsets from All 4 and British films from Film 4 are also available. The service includes high quality factual and entertainment content from Channel 5 plus original British comedies from Comedy Central UK. BritBox features the biggest collection of British content available on any streaming service, and brand new commissions for British production companies specifically created for BritBox. BritBox also offers expert curation and playlists that will enable viewers to easily find programmes they know and discover new favourites via web, mobile, tablet, connected TVs and streaming devices including Fire TV, Apple TV, Freesat & Chromecast. Content on BritBox can be downloaded and viewed offline where rights allow.

About ITV

ITV entertains millions of people and shapes culture. We are a leading media and entertainment company, with the largest free-to-air commercial television network in the UK and a global production and distribution business, with over 55 labels. Creativity, quality content and engaging audiences in the UK and around the world, is at the core of everything we do.

We reach over 40 million viewers every week with our programmes on ITV's family of channels, as well as the ITV Hub, which has over 34 million registered users.

ITV Studios produced 8,400 hours of original programming last year. Our global footprint spans 13 countries including the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, The Nordics, Italy and the Netherlands and our global distribution business sells our catalogue of 45,000+ hours to more than 300 broadcasters and platforms.

ITV has several SVOD services, including BritBox UK, BritBox International which is available in the US, Canada and Australia, and ITV Hub+ (the ad-free version of the ITV Hub with download functionality).

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios, a global content company with bold British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group, supporting the licence fee and enhancing programmes for UK audiences. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across both its own productions, and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents. Award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, Doctor Who and Bluey. BBC Studios has offices in over 20 markets globally, including ten production bases in the UK and production bases or partnerships in a further seven countries around the world. The company, which ordinarily makes around 2000 hours of content a year for both the BBC and third parties including Apple, Netflix and Migu, is a champion for British creativity around the world. It is also a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector through a mix of equity partnerships, content investment and international distribution for programme titles.

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