A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE: CHANNEL 4 REBOOT CLASSIC DRAMA FOR BRAND NEW SERIES

Channel 4 are rebooting classic drama A Woman Of Substance, based on the best-selling novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford, for a brand new series which will enter production next year.

The new series, like the original which aired in 1979, will be based on the late author's 1979 novel of the same name. The original three-part series aired on Channel 4 in January 1985 and become the Channel's most watched drama ever.

The official synopsis reads: "In the brooding moors above a humble Yorkshire village stood Fairley Hall. There, Emma Harte, its oppressed but resourceful servant girl, acquired a shrewd determination. There, she honed her skills, discovered the meaning of treachery, learned to survive, to become a woman, and vowed to make her mark on the world...

"In the wake of tragedy she rose from poverty to magnificent wealth as the iron-willed force behind a thriving international enterprise. As one of the richest women in the world Emma Harte has almost everything she fought so hard to achieve-save for the dream of love, and for the passion of the one man she could never have...

"Through two marriages, two devastating wars, and generations of secrets, Emma's unparalleled success has come with a price. As greed, envy, and revenge consume those closest to her, the brilliant matriarch now finds herself poised to outwit her enemies, and to face the betrayals of the past with the same ingenious resolve that forged her empire."

A source told The Sun: "The reboot is in its very early stages and a full production team is still being established. They've not cast the series yet but are planning to begin filming in mid 2025, giving them time to prepare cast and finalise scripts. It was a no-brainer for Channel 4 to pick up the format, given the sheer success the first time round."

More details will be announced in due course.