{"id":186148,"date":"2025-10-02T23:10:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T23:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/186148\/"},"modified":"2025-10-02T23:10:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T23:10:11","slug":"brenda-blethyn-transforms-into-iconic-character-for-yorkshire-set-phenomenon-a-woman-of-substance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/186148\/","title":{"rendered":"Brenda Blethyn transforms into iconic character for Yorkshire-set &#8220;phenomenon&#8221; A Woman of Substance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"1\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">First-look images from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/tv\/a64953568\/brenda-blethyn-a-woman-of-substance-reboot\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/tv\/a64953568\/brenda-blethyn-a-woman-of-substance-reboot\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Channel 4&#039;s Yorkshire-set drama\" data-node-id=\"1.1\" class=\"body-link css-1lh7k7j emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Channel 4&#8217;s Yorkshire-set drama<\/a> show Brenda Blethyn transformed into the iconic lead character Emma Harte.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">A Woman of Substance will see the Vera star appear as the character from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/tv\/a63787433\/channel-4-woman-of-substance-reboot\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/tv\/a63787433\/channel-4-woman-of-substance-reboot\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"the multi-million bestselling novel\" data-node-id=\"4.4\" class=\"body-link css-1lh7k7j emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">the multi-million bestselling novel<\/a> of the same name.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"6\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">Channel 4 first adapted the story back in 1984 with Deborah Kerr taking on the role of Emma in the revenge drama.<\/p>\n<p>What to Read Next<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"10\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">Set to be released next year, a sneak peek into the latest adaptation shows <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/tv\/a64605625\/brenda-blethyn-a-woman-of-substance-channel-4\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/tv\/a64605625\/brenda-blethyn-a-woman-of-substance-channel-4\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Blethyn\" data-node-id=\"10.1\" class=\"body-link css-1lh7k7j emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Blethyn<\/a> walking down a corridor looking effortlessly cool in a flowing white coat, black sunglasses, and a multi-coloured scarf. <br data-node-id=\"10.3\"\/><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"12\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">A synopsis reads: &#8220;1911. Emma Harte, an impoverished ambitious maid in Yorkshire, England goes on a dizzying journey to become the world\u2019s richest woman, gazing down from a sprawling luxury New York penthouse. <\/p>\n<p><img draggable=\"true\" alt=\"brenda blethyn, a woman of substance\" title=\"Brenda Blethyn, A Woman of Substance\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"3500\" height=\"2334\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent;width:100%;height:auto;\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/brenda-blethyn-a-woman-of-substance-68de380078728.jpg\" class=\"css-0 e1g79fud0\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Channel 4<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"15\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/tech\/best-tech-deals\/g35899960\/best-streaming-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/tech\/best-tech-deals\/g35899960\/best-streaming-services\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Best streaming services UK 2025 \u2014 including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+\" data-node-id=\"15.0.1\" class=\"body-link css-1lh7k7j emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Best streaming services UK 2025 \u2014 including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"17\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">&#8220;A rags-to-riches tale of women through the 20th century, Emma defies the expectations of her society, fearlessly challenging the roles she&#8217;s given, smashing glass ceilings, and never, ever deviating from her masterplan: Get to the top. Whatever it takes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"19\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">House of Guinness and Kneecap star Jessica Reynolds will star alongside Blethyn as an alternative version of Emma in A Woman of Substance. An exact release date for the series is yet to be announced.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"21\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">Previously speaking about the role, Blethyn said she was &#8220;overjoyed&#8221; to be appearing in the adaptation.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"23\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">&#8220;I&#8217;m overjoyed to be taking on this iconic role, in the footsteps of the great Deborah Kerr,&#8221; she began.<\/p>\n<p><img draggable=\"true\" alt=\"jessica reynolds, a woman of substance\" title=\"Jessica Reynolds, A Woman of Substance\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"4000\" height=\"2666\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent;width:100%;height:auto;\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/jessica-reynolds-a-woman-of-substance-68de38007b7e2.jpg\" class=\"css-0 e1g79fud0\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Channel 4<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"26\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">&#8220;As a fan of  Barbara Taylor Bradford, it is an unmissable opportunity to play the fierce Emma Harte.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"28\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">Reynolds added: &#8220;To be a part of A Woman of Substance and to step into the shoes of Emma is an absolute dream for me.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"30\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">&#8220;The team and cast we have behind this are truly inspiring, and I&#8217;m so excited to bring the stunning scripts and this great piece of literature to the screen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"32\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">The cast also includes Emmett J Scanlan as Adam Fairley, Lydia Leonard as Olivia Wainwright, Sophie Bould as Elizabeth Harte, Leanne Best as Adele Fairley, and Will Mellor as Jack Harte.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"34\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">A Woman of Substance will air on Channel 4.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"37\" class=\"css-18ljdn6 emevuu60\">The new edition of Living Legends is here! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hearstmagazines.co.uk\/special-editions-subscriptions-lvgladygaga\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.hearstmagazines.co.uk\/special-editions-subscriptions-lvgladygaga\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Buy Gaga in newsagents or online\" data-node-id=\"37.3\" class=\"body-link css-1lh7k7j emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Buy Gaga in newsagents or online<\/a>, priced at just \u00a38.99.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-dynamic-svg=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.digitalspy.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/images\/logos\/lettermark.05d81be.svg?primary=%2523000\" loading=\"lazy\" data-testid=\"dynamic-svg-base\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" alt=\"Lettermark\" class=\"css-7mevzh ev8dhu50\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy<br \/>\nRebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express &amp; Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more.<br \/>\nHer particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club.<br \/>\nLinkedIn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"First-look images from Channel 4&#8217;s Yorkshire-set drama show Brenda Blethyn transformed into the iconic lead character Emma Harte.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":186149,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[64,63,447,428,118733,430,134,429,118732],"class_list":["post-186148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-celebrities","tag-content-type-news","tag-contentid-7d3ac6c3-0fd8-46a1-93e6-5bcc9f1db2be","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-entertainment","tag-locale-gb","tag-shorttitle-brenda-blethyn-transforms-into-iconic-character"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186148\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/186149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}