Gentleman Jack caused a sensation when it first aired in 2019 and followed the fortunes of trailblazing real-life 19th-century diarist Anne Lister, played by Vigil and Doctor Foster star Suranne Jones.
Now, Gentleman Jack season 2 is here, an eight-part series of the sizzling period drama, which airs in the UK on Sunday 10 April at 9pm on BBC One and will broadcast in the US on HBO on Monday, April 25.
The action picks up shortly after top-hatted Yorkshire-based lesbian landowner Anne has undergone a secret ‘wedding’ with lover Ann Walker (Peaky Blinders’ Sophie Rundle) and is planning for them to set up a home together in Anne Lister’s Shibden Hall estate. But romantic and business ructions are on the cards.
Here, Suranne Jones reveals all about Gentleman Jack season 2…
Gentleman Jack is back! Where do we find Anne?
“Anne’s got her wife and she's setting up her life. It's supercharged. She's protecting her assets, fighting for what she wants and spending money. She’s an entrepreneur and so confident. But she’s not just on fire, she's dangerous, because there's so much going on that she’s on the cusp of losing control, she's so excited with her life!”
What is her relationship like with Ann Walker now?
“They're trying to navigate what society puts on them. It’s a detailed, slow, wonderful look at a marriage. Anne questions whether it’s love. We discover that it is, but a very different kind. It's not what she thought it was.”
Are there any hurdles they have to overcome?
“There are lots of arguments and fun. That's the beauty of it, the ups and downs. Ann’s mental health is floating around constantly and Anne has put her in the doctor’s care to build her up to come and live with her at Shibden. But Anne’s also fighting the tribe of Ann’s family including Aunt Ann Walker, brilliantly played by Stephanie Cole.”
We see the return of Anne’s ex, Mariana Lawton (Lydia Leonard), while another of Anne’s former lovers, Isabella ‘Tib’ Norcliffe (Joanna Scanlan), appears. What impact do they have?
“Anne’s always had these huge big emotional relationships, she bowls hard and with Mariana it’s been draining and taxing. Lydia’s exquisite though and there is almost a two-hander episode exploring Mariana and Anne’s relationship and why they are like they are.”
Do you find you need a lot of energy to play Anne?
“Yes! If you don't pace yourself, you can get exhausted. She’s so well-informed that with every conversation, she's five steps ahead and she's waiting for everybody to keep up. I had a step counter on set and it clocked up a lot! Sometimes, if I had the greatcoat on, I’d pop it on underneath – but don’t tell the costume department!”
The first run of the show got such an amazing reaction, did that make you proud?
“It’s quite something when you go to Halifax [in Yorkshire, where the show is filmed and set] and see the top hat everywhere! And Sally Wainwright [the show's writer, whose credits include Happy Valley] and I revealed a statue [of Anne in Halifax], which was just beautiful. The fan art, the stories, the fact that it's changed people’s lives is extraordinary and that it can start a conversation for people. It’s wonderful we made something important, it’s an amazing thing to be part of. There’s no other period drama like this!”
Where can I watch the first season of Gentleman Jack?
The first season is available on BBC iPlayer and a range of other platforms.
Gentleman Jack season 2 starts in the UK on Sunday, April 10 at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer. The US release date is set for Monday, April 25 on HBO.
