Scripted series · Channel 4
A Woman of Substance
A rags-to-riches tale of ambition, power, and revenge.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Jessica Reynolds
Young Emma Harte
8 eps
Brenda Blethyn
Older Emma Harle
8 eps
Emmett J. Scanlan
Adam Fairley
8 eps
Lydia Leonard
Olivia Wainwright
8 eps
Toby Regbo
Jim Fairley
8 eps
Leanne Best
Adele Fairley
8 eps
Ewan Horrocks
Edwin Fairley
8 eps
Lenny Rush
Frank Harte
8 eps
Will Mellor
Jack Harte
8 eps
Jo Joyner
Elizabeth Harte Ainsley
8 eps
Harry Cadby
Gerald Fairley
8 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How A Woman of Substance actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
A Woman of Substance reads strongest on Character Depth, Bingeability and Emotional Weight.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
The life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th-century, to respected businesswoman and grandmother in the 1980s. From humble beginnings, Emma Harte starts her business with a small shop, but over the next twenty years, she expands her stores and invests in the growing textile industry in Leeds.
The run
Seasons
1 season · 8 episodes.
Season 1 · Complete
Series 1
20268 episodes
9.4IMDbThe life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th-century, to respected businesswoman and grandmother in the 1980s. From humble beginnings, Emma Harte starts her business with a small shop, but over the next twenty years, she expands her stores and invests in the growing textile industry in Leeds.
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- George FaberExecutive Producer
- Joe InnesExecutive Producer
- Katherine JakewaysExecutive Producer
- Charles PalmerProducer
- Beth WillisExecutive Producer
Writing
- Katherine JakewaysWriter
- Roanne BardsleyWriter
Music
- Jack HalamaOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Britbox Apple TV Channel Streaming
- BritBoxStreaming
- BritBox Amazon ChannelStreaming
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Where to go from here
Watch Next
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Never stop watching
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