'Incredible' period drama fans can't stop talking about now streaming on BBC
The passionate romance at the centre of Gentleman Jack has captured the imagination of audiences far and wide, set against the backdrop of the 1830s. Suranne Jones brilliantly portrays Anne Lister, a trailblazing landowner known as the 'first modern lesbian', with Sophie Rundle by her side as Anne Walker, bringing to life an electrifying on-screen partnership.
One review from Rotten Tomatoes reads: "This show continues to amaze everyone with how good it is. It was really nice and important to see Anne Lister's "dark side of the force" and the growth of Ann Walker. Once again, Suranne Jones and Sophie Rundle presented us with wonderful performances. I'm so grateful for Gentleman Jack. I hope you don't stop believing how important this project is.."
Adapted from Lister's real diaries, comprising some five million words – much of which was penned in secret code – the series reveals her clandestine lesbian relationships. Only decrypted and transcribed since the 1980s, these diaries bring to light the hidden histories of same-sex couples, with Gentleman Jack laying bare the secrets of Lister's romantic endeavours for the audience to see, making it an essential watch according to fans.
A review says: "I can't say enough good things about this extraordinary series; one can only hope that we will get a Season 3. Sally Wainwright's intricate detail and dialogue, along with the remarkable cast, make this a must-see. Surrane Jones is a wonder, as are Sophie Rundle and Lydia Leonard. With a positive lesbian protagonist, it is a rare gem!".
The love story of the central couple unfolds in 1832, amidst the industrial revolution in West Yorkshire, showcasing Lister's business ventures alongside her romantic escapades. The episodes also delve into the restoration of Shidbden Hall, her family estate, and her relationships with her staff and family, reports the Express.
For over three centuries, the estate, which is open to the public, was under the stewardship of the Lister family, and it was Anne who spearheaded its extensive development, following the death of her aunt. In 1830, she engaged a local architect and enhanced the grounds with additions of a gothic tower, rock gardens and a boating lake.
"Everything about this show is absolutely brilliant," one viewer wrote. "I rewatched the entire first season before starting in on the second and thoroughly re-enjoyed it. Suranne Jones's performance is intoxicating, and in fact, every role has been cast with the perfect actor for the part. The production values are as good as anything I've seen, and I've seen many, many period shows in my time."
Initially debuting in 2019, the series' triumph spawned a second season, which premiered in 2022. In an interview with GLAAD preceding the second release, Jones stated: "It makes a difference to be telling important stories...to feel like you're making a mark with your work is wonderful."
The profound influence of Gentleman Jack on LGBTQ+ audiences stands out most, with viewers sharing their experiences of watching the show. A fan commented: "Perhaps the biggest twist on television these days is a front-and-centre, unapologetically lesbian storyline.
"The LGBTQIA+ audience is so appreciative and grateful for consistently respectful and beautiful storytelling, especially when it is so often pulled out from under our feet. This cast and crew did their homework, and it paid off in spades."
Step into the Regency era and explore Anne Lister's romantic life by streaming all episodes of Gentleman Jack on BBC iPlayer now.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Jeremy Clarkson left completely confused over farm issue as he reveals 'most difficult thing'
Clarkson's Farm star Jeremy Clarkson has turned his countryside escapades into a hit TV series - but he has confessed he is still very clueless about some agricultural practices Jeremy Clarkson may be reaching new levels of fame thanks to his hit documentary series about his Oxfordshire farm - but he has admitted there are aspects of farming that he is still completely clueless about, despite working the land for years. The 65-year-old TV star previously enjoyed fame as a host of Top Gear on the BBC - before departing the show under a cloud of shame after he punched a producer behind-the-scenes. He then launched rival car show The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime - however this success has been eclipsed by his hugely popular agricultural series, Clarkson's Farm. The show follows Jeremy as he endures trials and triumphs as he tries to make a living from his farm - which he named Diddly Squat as he has struggled to make sizeable sales from his crops. But the star appears to be enjoying his challenges - and has even become a spokesperson of British farming, and has turned on the current Labour government over changes to tax rules that risk decimating the UK farming industry. Jezza has been learning as he goes - and admits there are still many aspects of farming he cannot understand. In a recent column, he explained that he can be confused by the industry - including how animals are turned into food after they are sent to the slaughterhouse. He writes in the Sunday Times Magazine:"It's nigh on impossible to deduce which bits are used to make steaks and which are for mincing and whether that bulbous-looking thing is incredibly tasty or a bowel." He continued: "But by far and away the most difficult thing would be turning my wheat into bread. This is something that has fascinated me for years because how on earth did anyone figure it out?" As well as running his farm, Jeremy has opened his Diddly Squat Farm Shop where he sells his home-grown products to the public. And more recently he opened a pub called The Farmer's Dog - which is a short trip from his farmland. Clarkson's Farm has been on the air since 2021 and has proved to be a surprise hit for Amazon. The show, now in it's fourth season and with a fifth on the way, has won over TV fans who have admitted they have become unexpectedly emotional while watching the show. The r/ClarksonsFarm Reddit page has swelled in contributors since the show began - with many fans heading there to review episodes online. And fans have not shied away from confessing they have been moved to tears by the show. One poster admitted: "I have, like many others, only known Jeremy from Top Gear and Grand Tour, and I've always perceived him as this cocky character whom I also find funny of course. "I expected him to be the same way when I started watching Clarkson's Farm. But I am more than surprised with how big his heart is!" The fan went on to share their favourite moment from the show, a scene which many have praised as one of Clarkson's Farm's very best parts. The fan adds: "He is so interested and humble (to a certain degree with Kaleb). He cares so much for the animals and even though it's sad, I love seeing how deeply it hurts for both him and Lisa when they send them to the butchers or they die. "He sees farming from such a wide perspective and he uses his screen time well to enlighten us non-farmers about the unknown reality of this hardcore profession in an interactive manner. I just love watching it! I just saw the episode of season three where Kaleb gets frustrated over the bad crops and how much work that goes into it. I must admit I teared up a bit." A sixth season is also expected to be filmed following the release of season six - although Jeremy has previously hinted the crew behind the cameras will take a long break after the fifth season before filming the sixth.
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Ellen DeGeneres would 'love' UK talk show as she moves on from bullying scandal
Ellen DeGeneres has said she'd 'love' to host a talk show in the UK after moving over from the US. However, there's one problem. The American comedian, 67, moved to Britain with her wife, Portia de Rossi, 52, in November last year, deciding to set up a new life here after Donald Trump was re-elected. While she tends to keep a low profile these days, this weekend, Ellen made her first public appearance since relocating, joining a conversation with Richard Bacon at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. She reflected on the bullying scandal that rocked her hit talk show in the States, ultimately leading to a decline in popularity and its full cancellation in 2022. After fronting over 3,000 episodes, Ellen hosted her final episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in May of that year, having been engulfed by accusations of a toxic workplace and at the centre of a wider investigation. Despite it leading to a decline in viewership, Ellen has remained defiant in the face of the allegations, now saying she'd jump at the chance to replicate some success in the UK. But while she misses her old chat show 'a lot', she isn't sure its format would work anymore, as she explained tonight in quotes obtained by BBC. 'I mean, I wish it did, because I would do the same thing here. I would love to do that again,' she admitted. 'But I just feel like people are watching on their phones, or people aren't really paying attention as much to televisions, because we're so inundated with information and entertainment.' Ellen confessed to having no plans for what she wants to do next, but she'll be planning her future career moves 'very carefully'. 'I just don't know what that is yet,' she stated, declaring that she does want to have 'fun' after growing 'bored' in recent months, now that she's not in front of the bright lights and cameras. Ellen, who now lives in a sprawling Cotswolds mansion, previously spoke about being 'cancelled' by the internet when she was accused of being 'mean' to staff behind the scenes. She once called the accusations of toxicity behind the cameras of her show 'orchestrated' and 'misogynistic', later telling her 2024 tour crowd that she struggled with knowing how to confront the matter. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'No matter what, any article that came up, it was like, 'She's mean,' and it's like, how do I deal with this without sounding like a victim or 'poor me' or complaining? But I wanted to address it,' she said in the accompanying Netflix stand-up special. 'It's as simple as I'm a direct person, and I'm very blunt, and I guess sometimes that means that… I'm mean?' The accusations against Ellen and her talk show gained widespread media attention when the complainants came forward in 2020. The host was said to have enabled not only the 'toxic' atmosphere but also 'racism, fear, and intimidation'. Furthermore, Ellen was accused of failing to address higher-ups sexually harassing female employees and directing 'racist micro-aggressions and abuse' towards employees of colour. Other accusations included staff members being fired for taking medical and bereavement leave. After the internal probe into the show's culture, three producers were sacked for alleged misconduct, with Ellen giving an on-air apology in her final show opening. Ellen, who had also vowed to retreat from showbiz for good after fulfilling her contractual commitments, now admits that life is 'just better' in the UK, having splashed out on a blissful 43-acre property in the countryside. Speaking tonight about her big move, she revealed she and former actress wife Portia, whom she wed in 2008, originally wanted it to be a 'part-time house'. They had planned to spend three or four months a year in the UK, but she now confirms it's true that the last US election swayed her decision. More Trending 'We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, 'He got in',' she recalled. 'And we're like, 'We're staying here'.' Ellen and Portia—who was present in the audience along with several other family members and celebs when Ellen's show ended—first met at a party in 2000. In their first joint interview in 2009, Portia confessed to Oprah Winfrey that she knew she loved Ellen the moment she laid eyes on her. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Yellowstone star, 54, marries weather presenter fiancée, 34, in Vatican wedding MORE: Stranger Things fans 'figure out who's going to die' after season 5 trailer MORE: Emily Atack announces engagement to boyfriend Dr Alistair Garner with romantic holiday snap
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Billie Piper reveals major change for Doctor Who two decades after her debut
Billie Piper was 'revealed' as the next Doctor when the latest series ended in May - and is set to reprise her role as Rose Tyler in a new audio drama series Billie Piper has said making Doctor Who now would be 'completely different' to when she first appeared on the BBC show 20 years ago. The 42-year-old joined as Rose Tyler, the companion to Christopher Eccleston, back in 2005. She remained on the show for another series in 2006 and returned for a special cameo appearance in 2010. Though details have yet to formally be announced, it's thought she will be the next Doctor if a new series is made. It comes after Ncuti Gatwa's shock exit during the finale of the latest series when his character regenerated into Billie in his final episode, which aired in May. If she is, Billie will make history as the second female actor ever to play the Doctor. So far, Jodie Whittaker is the only female to take on the iconic role. But before that, Billie is set to reunite with former Doctor Ecclestone for a new audio drama titled The Ninth Doctor Adventures. Speaking to Doctor Who magazine, Billie reflected on their previous time working together and said: "If we just made the Doctor Who that we made 20 years ago now, it would feel slightly disingenuous, because things were so different then, even 20 years ago, to what we're experiencing, what we've seen, what we've been exposed to since. "God, we were so much more positive then. People have been profoundly affected by the material they see on social media. And it's been so normalised; everyone is a lot more heavy-hearted." She added: "It's not to say that we don't have a capacity for joy, because I think we absolutely do, but to ignore where we are right now... it's a completely different experience." Instead, The Ninth Doctor Adventures audio series will feature the Doctor and Rose. Set within the timeline of their original season together from 20 years ago, fans will be treated to 12 new stories. And it might not be long before Billie is back on TV screens. Appearing to confirm she is the new Doctor, she said in a statement last month: "It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse, as I have some of my best memories there. So to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn't refuse." Asked if she would ever make a comeback in an interview filmed weeks before the news was officially announced, she said: "Yeah I would… I would come back. What's funny is that I never feel like I've left Doctor Who, because there is this huge Doctor Who afterlife." She continued: "Obviously people still really want to talk about it, it's a massive fandom, so we do conventions and we meet lots of the fans, and there's always features. It's always on the TV on some channel, and a new generation pick it up, so it never feels like it's over, like it does with all the other jobs I've done." It's been reported that the 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant, could also return to the TV show. A source told The Sun: "The BBC brought Doctor Who back in 2005 and there is talk about a possible one-off project to celebrate the 20th anniversary. "David and Billie were a hugely popular partnership and he brought in a golden age of Doctor Who. With the anniversary of the reboot this year there have been some ideas floated about, with the thought of maybe bringing David and Billie back together for one last hurrah. 'It wouldn't be beyond the realms of imagination for him to return with Billie as Rose for a one-off special to celebrate not only their partnership, but the anniversary of BBC bringing back Doctor Who."
