'The Other Bennet Sister' to return with three-part Christmas special on BBC and BritBox

The special, which will begin filming this summer, will reunite much of the cast led by Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet

The Other Bennet Sister is officially returning for a festive encore, with the BBC and BritBox commissioning a three-part Christmas special following the breakout success of the Jane Austen-inspired drama.

The special, which will begin filming in Wales this summer, will reunite much of the cast led by Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet. Sarah Quintrell, who adapted Janice Hadlow’s novel for television, will write the new episodes, which are set after the events of the original series and promise to continue Mary’s journey beyond her wedding.

Bad Wolf executive producer Jane Tranter said the response to the series had exceeded expectations and described the opportunity to revisit the characters during the festive season as “a gift”. The period drama became the BBC’s biggest new drama launch since May 2025 and proved equally successful for BritBox in North America.

Although a second season has not been announced, the Christmas special will effectively serve as a continuation of the story, with familiar faces expected to return alongside Bruccoleri. Fans are particularly hopeful that Dónal Finn will reprise his role as Tom Hayward following the couple’s romantic conclusion in the series finale.

Based on Hadlow’s bestselling novel inspired by Pride and Prejudice, The Other Bennet Sister shifts the focus from Elizabeth Bennet to the often-overlooked Mary, chronicling her search for love, independence and self-worth. Since its debut on March 15, 2026, the drama has earned critical acclaim and become one of the BBC’s most-watched series of the year.

The three-part Christmas special is expected to air during the 2026 festive season on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BritBox.