![\"sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/f806f3fa-d3e8-4d77-a9c7-11c61cbdff7e.png\" "\\"sam")
The Hardacres\/\/Channel 5<\/p>\nThe Hardacres has quickly become one of Channel 5’s most talked-about dramas thanks to its blend of family conflict, romance and social ambition. But while the period series feels deeply rooted in history, many viewers have been left wondering whether the story of the Hardacre family is actually based on real people. <\/p>\n
The show may feel authentic in its portrayal of Victorian hardship and class struggles, but the Hardacres themselves are fictional. Instead, the Channel 5 drama is adapted from a bestselling book series that was first published five decades ago. <\/p>\n
This Thursday’s (28 May) episode once again highlighted just how vulnerable the family has become following Sam Hardacre’s sudden collapse. As Mary cared for her husband after fears he’d contracted Russian flu, their children were left trying to navigate business troubles, romance and uncertainty about the future of Hardacre Hall. <\/p>\n
The Hardacres\/\/Channel 5<\/p>\n
Sam Hardacre was suspected to have contracted Russian flu in this Thursday\u2019s episode of The Hardacres<\/p>\n
Related: Best streaming services<\/a><\/p>\n At the same time, Lady Imelda Hansen continued plotting against the family by weaponising Liza’s growing relationship with Captain Edward Blackwood in a bid to damage the Hardacres’ reputation. <\/p>\n Despite the realism of the drama, The Hardacres is not based on one specific real-life family. Instead, the show is adapted from The Hardacre Family Saga, a bestselling novel franchise written by author C.L. Skelton in 1976. The books follow several generations of a working-class Yorkshire family as they climb from poverty into wealth and influence. <\/p>\n The Channel 5 adaptation currently focuses on the family’s earliest years during the Victorian era, charting Sam and Mary Hardacre’s rise from difficult beginnings into high society. However, the original novels stretch much further into the future. <\/p>\n While the TV drama remains firmly rooted in the 19th century for now, C.L. Skelton’s books eventually follow the family through to the 1950s, opening the door for potential future seasons if the show continues. <\/p>\n The book saga began with the first novel, Hardacre, a sprawling 600-page story centred heavily around Sam Hardacre’s journey. Its sequel, Hardacre’s Luck, shifts focus onto the next generation of the family in Yorkshire and London decades later. <\/p>\n Liza\u2019s romance with Captain Blackwood is slowly blossoming<\/p>\n Although the show is inspired by these books, producers have already confirmed they made several changes while adapting the story for TV, particular during the series’ first season. Speaking previously about the series to Radio Times<\/a>, executive producers Amy Roberts and Loren McLaughlan explained the show deliberately broadened its focus beyond Sam in order to give the entire family more prominence. <\/p>\n “Our version is definitely inspired by the book as opposed to an adaptation, because one of the initial things that we changed immediately is that the book is very focused around Sam,” Loren said. That approach is especially noticeable in season two, where storylines involving Mary, Joe, Liza and Harry have become just as central as Sam’s struggles. <\/p>\n Still, production worked had to make the world feel more authentic. Season two director Rachel Carey previously shared<\/a> that historical accuracy was extremely important throughout filming. “I wanted the series to resonate with the present while honouring the past,” Rachel said. “I didn\u2019t want to play fast and loose with historical accuracy.”<\/p>\n With Sam ill, Mary had to leave her class unattended<\/p>\n Related: Best LEGO sets<\/a><\/p>\n That attention to detail extended beyond costumes and dialogue. Rachel highlighted that one of the biggest challenges faced by production was finding filming locations that genuinely reflected the Victorian era. “Finding period-accurate places to shoot in was difficult,” Rachel said. <\/p>\n Though the series is set in Yorkshire, filming actually took place across Ireland, with production based in Dublin and County Wicklow. Cabinteely House, an 18th-century mansion located in Cabinteely Park, was used as the exterior for the fictional Hardacre Hall, while Bray Harbour doubled as the gritty fishing docks seen during the family’s early struggles. <\/p>\n For actress Michele Dotrice, who plays Lady Imelda Hansen, filming in Ireland became one of the highlights of the production. \u201cI had the best time ever on this, filming out in Ireland, which I\u2019d never done before – what a joy it was,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n The Hardacres airs Thursdays from 9pm on Channel 5. <\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3ddbbaf5-22c5-4fdb-81ba-58f49cdd4a89.png\" "\\"the")
The Hardacres\/\/Channel 5<\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/e18e5c61-0377-4db6-97ee-cd84079acd00.png\" "\\"the")
The Hardacres\/\/Channel 5<\/p>\n