The Forsytes, the upcoming period drama based on John Galsworthy's hugely popular novel series, The Forsyte Saga, has been renewed for a second season ahead of its premiere.
The drama, which is penned by Poldark writer Debbie Horsfield, is set to return with a "gripping" second season, which is now in production in and around Bristol.
The series boasts a star-studded cast, including Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey: A New Era), Millie Gibson (Doctor Who), Tom Durant-Pritchard (Miss Scarlet), and more. Keep reading to find out all we know about the new season, including which stars have joined the cast.
What is The Forsytes about?
Set in the late-Victorian era, the series chronicles the lives of four generations of an upper-class family of stockbrokers.
© Sean Gleason/Mammoth Screen/MASTERPIECEThe synopsis for season one reads: "Sticklers for tradition and status, the older Forsytes prize duty and reputation above all else, whilst the younger members rail against the rigidity of family expectations. The question of who will take over the family firm puts Soames Forsyte and his cousin Jolyon in conflict just as their lives are turned upside down by the arrival of two remarkable women. Ultimately, each Forsyte family member grapples with the same dilemma – is it better to be ruled by the head or the heart?"
Season one is set to air on 5 later this year and will premiere on MASTERPIECE on PBS in 2026.
What to expect from season two
In the second season, the "proud dynasty faces a new era of scandal, ambition, and shifting loyalties", according to the synopsis, which continues: "As love, legacy and reputation collide, the cracks in the family’s polished façade grow ever deeper."
© Sky Pictures/GummfluhWho stars in the new season?
Returning cast members include Francesca Annis (Flesh and Blood), Jack Davenport (The Morning Show), Tom Durant Prichard (Miss Scarlet), Naomi Frederick (Industry), Jamie Flatters (Avatar: The Way of Water), Millie Gibson (Doctor Who), and Danny Griffin (Fate: The Winx Saga).
© Ian West - PA ImagesOther cast members reprising their roles include Owen Igiehon (Disclaimer), Eleanor Jackson (Royal Mob), Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey: A New Era), Justine Moore (Call the Midwife), Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Joshua Orpin (Titans), Eleanor Tomlinson (One Day) as well as three-time Emmy Award winning Susan Hampshire, who starred in the 1960s BBC version of The Forsyte Saga.
Joining the cast for season two are Richard Rankin (Outlander, Rebus), Sarah Alexander (Pennyworth, Jonathan Creek) and Nia Ashi (Bob Marley: One Love).
Other adaptations of the novels
Galsworthy's classic novels were famously adapted for the small screen in the BBC's 1967 Forsyte Saga. An ITV series, The Forsyte Saga, followed in 2002, starring Damian Lewis and Gina McKee.
