WIN! Drama premiere tickets
HALIFAX diarist Anne Lister wrote freely and in great detail about her sexuality, private affairs and deepest emotions, with the crypthand that she devised.
Her code was based on a clever combination of mathematical symbols, punctuation, Greek letters and the zodiac, written without word breaks.
In the cryptic portions of her diaries, the industrialist and landowner, widely regarded as ‘the first modern lesbian’, documented her passionate relationships with other women, almost certainly convinced that no one would be able to break her cipher and that her thoughts and encounters would be recorded for her alone.
That, of course, was not the case.
Now, fans of Lister are being given a new portion of code to crack to put them in the running to attend the Halifax premiere of the new series of Gentleman Jack later this month.
To be one of the first to enter the random draw for tickets, people must solve the mystery code on the @ BBCNorthPR Instagram page this week, under the hashtag #GentlemanJackIsBack.
It can be worked out using the same key that was used to decipher Lister’s diaries in the 1800s.
Solve it and fans can follow the clues to apply for tickets to a red carpet event with the stars of the show ahead of the new series on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The exclusive premiere takes place on Tuesday, March 29 at Square Chapel in Halifax.
Whether you crack the code or not, anyone can then put their name in the Gentleman Jack top hat for tickets on the BBC Shows and Tours website,
Series creator, writer and executive producer Sally
Wainwright, whose other work includes Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax will be in attendance at the red carpet event alongside BAFTA award-winning
Suranne Jones, who returns as trailblazer Lister for the second series, and other cast members.
Following the screening of the first episode, guests can hear directly from Wainwright, Jones and other cast in a Q&A.
The show is based on the collected diaries of Lister which document all aspects of her private and public life, including her romantic relationship with Ann Walker, who is played by Sophie Rundle (currently appearing in the latest series of TV’s Peaky Blinders drama).
“The storytelling of the histories of diverse communities lies at the heart of the BBC and it’s rewarding to see a BBC series like this making such a meaningful impact in the region,” says Rozina Breen, Head of North for BBC England.
“Drama like Gentleman Jack gives Yorkshire deserved global exposure and has a significant impact on tourism and the skills economy too.
“I’m certain this latest series will continue to with local and regional audiences and beyond.”
Filmed in and around Calderdale and West Yorkshire, series one followed Lister’s life as she inherited her uncle’s fading estate, Shibden Hall in Halifax, which she attempted to restore while beginning a romance with Walker.
Series two, set in 1834, picks up just four weeks after series one ended with all eyes on Lister and Walker as they set up home at Shibden as wife and wife, determined to combine their estates and become a power couple.
Gentleman Jack is a Lookout Point production for BBC One, co-produced with HBO. The first series averaged 6.8 million viewers across its eight-episode run.
It won the Royal Television Society’s Drama Series award in 2020 and received BAFTA nominations in the Drama Series category, as well as the Leading Actress category for Jones’ performance.
The ticket ballot will close at 11.59pm on March 21 and people can apply for a maximum of two tickets. Tickets will be allocated via a random draw.