The Celebrity Traitors Star Richard E. Grant Returns for ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ Christmas Special

Fans of The Celebrity Traitors can enjoy seeing Richard E. Grant on screen for a little bit longer when he stars in The Other Bennet Sister, returning to screens for a three-part Christmas special. The actor won the hearts of millions watching The Celebrity Traitors, but they were left heartbroken when he left the series in the very first banishment.

The period drama will be one of the main offerings from the BBC across the festive period.

It follows the record-breaking first series, which aired this spring. The Other Bennet Sister was the biggest launch of a new drama across all platforms and streamers in the UK since May 2025, with 7.3 million viewers watching in its first 28 days.

Giving Austen’s Forgotten Sister Her Moment

Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Janice Hadlow, The Other Bennet Sister focuses on Mary Bennet—the seemingly unremarkable and overlooked middle sister in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The series takes as its premise that—when it comes to the Bennet sisters—while we dream of being Lizzy, in reality most of us are more like Mary…

The series follows Mary as she steps out of her sisters’ shadows in search of her own identity and purpose, finding herself in the middle of an epic love story along the way. Her journey sees her leave her family home in Meryton for the soirées of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love, and reinvention.

The story begins at Longbourn, the Bennet family home, where Mr and Mrs Bennet preside over a lively household of five unmarried daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. As society’s pressures mount, the Bennet sisters navigate the glittering yet precarious world of Regency England, where marriage is both aspiration and necessity.

While her sisters pursue romance and social triumph, Mary embarks on a very different path. Leaving Longbourn behind, she travels to London to live with her aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs Gardiner, in their elegant home on Gracechurch Street. There, Mary begins a journey of self-discovery, stepping out of the shadows and into her own story. Iconic settings from Pride and Prejudice include the Meryton Assembly Ball and the Netherfield Ball, where fortunes and futures are decided under glittering chandeliers.

Star-Studded Cast & Production

Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife, Bridgerton) leads the cast as Mary Bennet, whilst Richard E. Grant (Withnail & I, Can You Ever Forgive Me?) and Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey, Stella) co-star as Mr and Mrs Bennet.

Indira Varma (Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Night Manager) and Richard Coyle (Heads of State, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) play Mr and Mrs Gardiner, whilst Laurie Davidson (A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, The Girlfriend) and Dónal Finn (The Wheel of Time, SAS Rogue Heroes) play potential suitors Mr Ryder and Mr Hayward, respectively.

Sarah Quintrell (The Power, Ellen) wrote nine of the ten half-hour episodes of the original series, with Maddie Dai (We Were Dangerous) writing one. Filmed in Wales, the drama was directed by Jennifer Sheridan (Extraordinary) and Asim Abbasi (Cake).

What to Expect in the Festive Special

The new three-part series was filmed in Wales this summer, and sees the return of Ella Bruccoleri (Down Cemetery Road, Wicker) as Mary, with a host of other familiar faces from the series set to return.

Jane Tranter, Executive Producer and CEO of Bad Wolf, says:

“We always hoped audiences would fall in love with Mary Bennet’s story, but the response to The Other Bennet Sister has exceeded even our most optimistic expectations.

“These Christmas specials give us the chance to spend a little more time with characters audiences have taken to their hearts, and to explore what happens after the wedding bells fade and real life begins. Returning to the world of Mary Bennet with our brilliant partners at the BBC and BritBox feels like the perfect way to celebrate the success of the series and give viewers a treat this Christmas.”

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, adds:

“It’s been incredibly exciting to see Mary Bennet cause such a sensation in 2026, and we could not be happier to announce this new three-part Christmas gift to her millions of fans. Marriage was just the beginning for the no-longer-so-overlooked Bennet sister, and it’s a joy to be working with Sarah, Janice and the Bad Wolf team to let viewers discover what comes next.”

Jess O’Riordan, Commissioning Executive of BritBox North America, says:

“We know how much audiences have fallen in love with Mary Bennet, and we’re thrilled that her story isn’t over yet. We are so pleased Mary’s story will continue for three more chapters and to welcome audiences back into the world of The Other Bennet Sister this holiday season.”

In the US, the series streams on BritBox.

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