New image and cast announcement for Halifax-filmed BBC drama Gentleman Jack

Katherine Kelly (Happy Valley, Mr Selfridge) and Sofie Gråbøl (The Killing, Fortitude) have joined the cast of Sally Wainwright's forthcoming eight-part drama Gentleman Jack.
The cast announcement coincides with the release of a new picture from the series, featuring Suranne Jones in character as the remarkable Regency landowner. Image: BBCThe cast announcement coincides with the release of a new picture from the series, featuring Suranne Jones in character as the remarkable Regency landowner. Image: BBC
The cast announcement coincides with the release of a new picture from the series, featuring Suranne Jones in character as the remarkable Regency landowner. Image: BBC

Katherine Kelly plays Elizabeth Sutherland, the sister of Anne Lister’s intended wife Ann Walker (Sophie Rundle), whilst Sofie Gråbøl will appear towards the end of the series as Queen Marie of Denmark. Her appearance will be shot on location in Copenhagen.

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The news coincides with the release of a new picture from the series, featuring Suranne Jones in character as the remarkable Regency landowner. Filming on Gentleman Jack draws to a close in the weeks ahead, with the series due to air in 2019.

Katherine Kelly and Sofie Grbl have joined the cast of Sally Wainwrights new drama. Image: BBCKatherine Kelly and Sofie Grbl have joined the cast of Sally Wainwrights new drama. Image: BBC
Katherine Kelly and Sofie Grbl have joined the cast of Sally Wainwrights new drama. Image: BBC

The eight-part drama is based on the life of famed Halifax diarist Anne Lister. Written by Sally Wainwright, who also created other Calderdale-set hit shows Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, the eight part series will see Anne try to transform the fate of her faded ancestral home, Shibden Hall.

Filming took place at Shibden Hall, Halifax earlier this year.

On joining Gentleman Jack, Katherine Kelly said: “I’m thrilled to be reuniting with Sally once again. I know how passionate she is about the life and times of Anne Lister, and I’m delighted to be portraying such a key historical character in Anne Lister’s story.”

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Sofie Gråbøl said: “When asked if I would like to play the Queen of Denmark in Sally Wainwright’s brand new series, I could not have said ‘yes’ fast enough! I’m excited to welcome the Gentleman Jack team to Copenhagen, and to film my scene as Queen Marie with the wonderful Suranne Jones.

Sally Wainwright, Gentleman Jack’s creator, writer, and lead director said: “It’s so exciting that Anne Lister’s story has attracted such an extraordinary cast, and now we can add to that the unique talents of Katherine Kelly and Sofie Gråbøl! Anne Lister is taking us up to Scotland and across Europe!”

Kelly will be joined by Derek Riddell (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Gunpowder) as Elizabeth’s husband, Captain Sutherland, and Veronica Clifford (Hurt By Paradise, GameFace) as mother-in-law Mrs Sutherland.

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Also announced today are Sylvia Syms (Rev, One Night in Bath) as the Elderly Mrs Rawson, Brendan Patricks (Downton Abbey, Kiri) as the clergyman Thomas Ainsworth, Caspar Phillipson (Jackie, Mission: Impossible - Fallout) as Mr De Hagemann, Polly Maberly (EastEnders, Shakespeare & Hathaway) as Lady De Hagemann, Lucy Black (The Durrells, Jericho) as Mary Sowden, Stephanie Hyam (Bodyguard, Doctor Who) as Sophie Ferrall, Dino Fetscher (Humans, Paranoid) as Thomas Beech, Rupert Vansittart(The Children Act, Game of Thrones) as Charles Lawton, and Michael Xavier (Never Let Go, Into The Woods) as Dr. Steph Belcombe.

They join the previously announced extended cast, which includes Gemma Whelan, Timothy West, Gemma Jones, Stephanie Cole, Peter Davison, Amelia Bullmore, Vincent Franklin, Shaun Dooley, Joe Armstrong and Rosie Cavaliero.

Gentleman Jack is a Lookout Point production for BBC One, co-produced with HBO.