True romance
The adaptation of JANE AUSTEN’S UNFINISHED NOVEL makes its long-awaited return
Sanditon
NEW Available: Mon 21 March Genre: Drama Season: 2 Episodes: 6
ITV’S ADAPTATION OF Jane Austen’s unfinished novel Sanditon shattered period-drama conventions when it aired in 2019. As well as sex and nudity, it also delivered an unexpectedly downbeat ending, where Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) was left heartbroken after her soul mate Sidney Parker (Theo James) was forced to marry for money to save his family from destitution.
The second season launches on Britbox this week (with an ITV broadcast planned for later this year), and picks up the story nine months later – but without Sidney, after Theo James departed the series.
Season two begins as Charlotte is drawn back to Sanditon in the wake of a tragedy, this time joined by her younger sister Alison (Rosie Graham). While Alison hopes the seaside resort will give the sisters an opportunity to find husbands, Charlotte insists she is no longer interested in marriage, and plans to make her own way in the world.
Meanwhile, Sidney’s entrepreneur brother Tom (Kris
Marshall), who has managed to rebuild the town after it was devastated by fire, spots an opportunity for further growth when an Army troop sets up camp nearby. Colonel Francis Lennox (Warrior’s Tom Weston-jones) finds himself instantly drawn to Charlotte, but she remains resistant to his attempts to get to know her.
Another new arrival is Charles Lockhart (Versailles’ Alexander Vlahos), a provocative artist who has taken up residence in the town, and his uninhibited approach to life makes him a figure of great intrigue.
‘For my first leading role to be a Jane Austen project has been really special for me,’ says Williams, who listens to music to help her get into character. ‘I have a Charlotte playlist that I use all the time. It’s a bit unconventional because I have some modern tracks on there, love songs and soul songs and stuff that aren’t necessarily what people would expect.’